JPL and the Space Age: Triumph at Saturn (Part I)

Chronicling the story of NASA’s Cassini mission, this is the latest in our series of documentaries, “JPL and the Space Age.” These films use rare archival footage and interviews with pioneering engineers and scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in retelling the stories of many of humanity’s first steps into the cosmos.

[halian]

I don't know how to put this exactly, but whenever I see the triumphs of astronomy and space exploration, it gives me new hope that humanity can still be a positive force. Regardless of all the evils and hurt we cause on Earth, if there is one team here who has the vision to look beyond the Earth to find and see the impossible, there is still hope for us. I am so thankful and proud of you guys. I hope more people will come to realise that space exploration is not a waste of money, it is not a case of "we should solve the problems on Earth before we look beyond it", it is a case of exploring beyond Earth is how we can come to realise we have greater things we can do besides any achievements and failings we have on Earth. Looking beyond is how we can transcend Earthly concerns.

[alanfoster]

I was there the day the first pictures started coming in. Everyone was glued to the monitors except...this well-dressed elderly gentleman in back, who kept fiddling with the instrumentation. I watched him for a bit, then thought I ought to alert someone. The tech I spoke with nodded as he looked at the chap and said, "Oh, that's Clyde Tombaugh. We let him do whatever he wants".

[zoepaulastrassfield]

As someone born in 1993, I really grew up with the Cassini mission and it’s only looking back now that I realize what a big part of my life it was. When I was very young in Elementary School, I found a book about the solar system at the school library with a blurb about how the Huygens probe would land on Titan and nobody knew what was below the clouds. The book speculated that maybe it would land in an ocean and had art of that, and that night in my bathtub I lowered a toy slowly like it was a probe on a parachute, pretending my bathwater was the ocean of Titan.

I was 11 and just starting Middle School when Cassini-Huygens entered Saturn orbit and I remember newspaper clippings with images of Phoebe on the bulletin boards at school. I remember watching the (PBS?) live broadcast of the first images from Titan and that over the credits they showed drawings from a children’s art competition trying to imagine what it would find. In High School, I made a model of Cassini for a world history project, using a can as the spacecraft body, a coffee filter as the main antenna, and popsicle sticks and bits of wire as the various booms and instruments.

For most of what I think of as my intellectually-developed life, from Middle School until grad school, I could log onto a computer every week or even every day and see new pictures of the Saturn system from Cassini on space and science websites. It’s only in the past few years since 2017 with Cassini gone that I realize how used to that I became and how much I miss it now.

[brianw]

I followed this mission as a casual observer from about 5 years before launch. The thing was the size of a school bus. I remember the awe of the first images of Titan, a real world with an atmosphere. An amazing accomplishment by all involved.

[jackwardrop]

I'm 6 minutes in and can't believe the depth and quality of this.

[kenmunozatmmrrailroad]

During a JPL open house decades ago, I got to photograph Cassini in the “clean room” (from the outside”)… a mesmerizing opportunity in its day. This program is stellar and the second one (perhaps others) can’t come soon enough. Thank you to all involved for the production value.

[finalmage]

I'm always happy to see when someone took the time and had the forethought to document these DECADE long processes!

[marcelogaea]

Magnificent! Was 8 when my dad called me in from outdoor play to watch black and white footage of Apollo 11; the outer reaches have fascinated me since. Thank you so much for this, JPL.

[ZhiYing_Geroniny]

I heard about Cassini before, but It is a day after Cassini's End of Mission that I fully understand. It has been more than 4 years, since I first know Cassini and I never thought that Cassini will ever change my future path. I have a deep desire to thanks the Cassini team in personal while also crying for Cassini time to time.

So if I have a chance to talk to Cassini, I will sure to say thanks to her for changing my life in the critical time.

[OriginalStachuJones]

This is awesome. Thanks NASA! You're one of reasons I still believe in humanity

[dwightdulsky]

Superb presentation, thank you for not going all "Hollywood". Well done and congrats to JPL!

[Wheeljack]

I'm sitting here watching this documentary four years after Cassinis 13(!) year orbit of Saturn was successfully and intentionally ended, STILL nervous watching the launch and the waiting for confirmation signals mission control received. I already know how much of a success Cassini-Huygens was, but I am eagerly awaiting part 2 of this incredibly well-made documentary. No hollywood effects or fake dramatic moments. Just pure, wonderful objective facts.

[Puuch]

Love the Mass Effect Codex voice dude doing the narration! Great doc 👌

[andromeda]

Rarest of rare occasion, this video took me back in time. I felt, I was there in this endeavor, actively participating in Cassini mission!

[aBanger]

What a WONDERFUL documentary! I was locked in place for the duration of this one. I would love others like this :) So amazing, so inspirational

[atarkus]

Fantastic to see everything that was going on behind the scenes. Cassini is the only robot I've felt some sort of emotional attachment to, as this mission is something I've followed from before it launched. I was just a teenager fascinated by space back then, and now I'm 40... The Cassini assembly was the first webcam I ever watched, and I wonder how many other people did the same. I stayed up to watch the launch live, at what must have been 3am... It was a loooong wait for it to get to Saturn... I remember printing out large format images at work to show other coworkers... then it was a regular stream of fascinating updates on the ciclops website. And it must be said that the Cassini team was not above interacting with us regular people. It's been an honor to talk to Carolyn Porco several times. (Amazing that she finds the time to respond to emails!). No matter what was happening in my life I could always count on the images from Cassini giving me a sense of awe and wonder. Goodbye old friend.

[SecretSquirrelFun]

Seeing Caroline Porco is amazing. I remember seeing her talk at the very end of this project and seeing all of the incredible images taken. Just amazing to see her here right at the start, fabulous project to be a part of, a literal “once in a lifetime” experience.
Also, Julie Webster....amazing, I’m so glad that they made this recording of these amazing people. Just so clever. I’d like to say thank you to each and every one of you, every person involved in this process and project.

[atomsmurf]

This is truly a gem in scientific documentaries. An honest portrayal of an astonishing accomplishment. Please upload part two soon!

[manuelhumbertoluquecasanav]

Congratulations NASA JPL. Cassini Mission is another success of NASA

[exospaceman]

The Cassini Huygens mission was a masterpiece of engineering and ingenuity
4-5 Years of planning 7 year journey to Saturn and a 13 years of exploring Saturn all the way till the end
Sure there would be future orbiters and landers to Saturn but there won’t another spacecraft that taught us more and inspired our way to success than the Cassini mission
It’s legacy not forgotten
1997-2017
It is now part of saturn