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

- More than 2 years ago

PASADENA, Calif. — Cassini went down fighting.

After 20 years in space and 13 years orbiting Saturn, the veteran spacecraft spent its last 90 seconds or so firing its thrusters as hard as it could to keep sending Saturnian secrets back to Earth for as long as possible.