6 September 2017

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2017-09-06

The story…

'Grand finale' for Cassini space mission

Learn language related to…

Space

Need-to-know language

Saturn – sixth planet in distance from the Sun

ring system – group of discs running around a planet

aurora – natural light display

probe – vehicle used for collecting information in space and sending it back to earth

atmosphere – mixture of gases surrounding a planet

Answer this…

True or false? The Cassini spacecraft will be destroyed during its final journey into Saturn's atmosphere.

Transcript

Instantly recognisable - Saturn and its spectacular rings. The Cassini spacecraft's revealed this planet in incredible detail and these are some of its latest close up images - from its hexagonal north pole to its ring system and even an aurora

But this mission's very nearly at its end. Cassini's been in space for twenty years. It's set down a probe, spotted plumes on one of Saturn's moons and discovered colossal storms - but now it's running out of fuel - its final days though will be crucial.

This spacecraft will go out with a bang - its last manoeuvre will be a death dive into Saturn's atmosphere, bringing this blockbuster mission to a close.

Did you get it?

True or false? The Cassini spacecraft will be destroyed during its final journey into Saturn's atmosphere.

The answer is TRUE. Cassini's last manoeuvre will be a death dive into Saturn's atmosphere – so the spacecraft will die.

Did you know?

Next year, NASA is planning to launch The Parker Solar Probe, which will travel to within four million miles of the Sun's surface, enduring temperatures of about 2,500C - closer than any manufactured object has done before.