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News Astronomy

R.I.P. Cassini

After 20 years, nearly 300 orbits and pioneering discoveries, the spacecraft plunges to its death in Saturn’s atmosphere

Illustration of Cassini's death

BLAZE OF GLORY  Cassini burned up like a comet above Saturn’s cloud tops just before 5 a.m. PDT on September 15. This artist’s illustration shows what it may have looked like.

JPL-Caltech/NASA

By Lisa Grossman

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