NASA bids farewell to Cassini satellite

Показать описание

"굿바이 카시니" 20년 탐사 마치고 오늘 최후

In about eight hours, NASA's Cassini satellite will end its remarkable 20-year journey through space, taking one last look at Saturn before it dives into the giant planet.
Ro Aram reports.
On October 15th, 1997, NASA launched Cassini from California on a meandering path through the Solar System - a journey that has now spanned two decades and nearly eight billion kilometers.
Thirteen of those years have been spent orbiting Saturn, studying its rings, surface and hemisphere, as well as its moons.
Scientists from around the world who had worked on the project since the 1980s will try hard to hold back their tears when they say goodbye.

(English) AP 4114586 / 1
"So it will feel in some sense like a death in the family, you know something you've devoted your life to for 27 years and then it will be gone."

Though other satellites have provided glimpses into Saturn, they were just sneak peaks compared to what Cassini had to offer.
It is also the first and only spacecraft so far to actually go into orbit around the ringed planet, discovering six new moons and giving evidence that some of them could house life.
NASA decided to end the mission because Cassini is running out of fuel, the last of which will be used to crash it into the planet's atmosphere.
This option was chosen instead of continuing the orbit to avoid contaminating any of the moons with a possible collision.
The probe will gather data on Saturn's clouds and moons for its swansong before being burnt to a crisp.
The final signals from Cassini, before if goes silent, will arrive early Friday morning, California time.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.

------------------------------------------------------------
[Subscribe Arirang Official YouTube]
------------------------------------------------------------
[Visit Arirang TV Official Pages]
------------------------------------------------------------
[Arirang K-Pop]