Farewell to Cassini on This Week @NASA – September 15, 2017

TL;DR

NASA's Cassini spacecraft concludes its mission by diving into Saturn's atmosphere, Hurricane Irma's rainfall estimates revealed, astronauts launch to the International Space Station, a successful parachute test for Orion spacecraft, and astronaut Shane Kimbrough shares his experiences in space.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!”     On Sept. 15, our Cassini spacecraft concluded its remarkable mission with a plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere.   “Just heard the signal from the spacecraft is gone…”     This was the last of 22 close orbits Cassini made between Saturn and its rings as part of the mission’s Grand Finale. No ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👶 The Cassini spacecraft completed its successful mission by diving into Saturn's atmosphere, leaving behind valuable data that will result in new discoveries for decades.
• ❓ Hurricane Irma's rainfall estimates revealed significant precipitation, causing damage to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• 🧑‍🚀 The launch of astronauts to the International Space Station ensures continued human presence on the orbiting laboratory.
• 👾 Successful testing of the Orion spacecraft's parachute system is a step towards qualifying it for deep space missions.
• 🛟 Astronaut Shane Kimbrough provides an insider's perspective on life and experiences aboard the International Space Station.
• 👾 NASA's collaborative efforts with other space agencies contribute to groundbreaking scientific voyages.
• 😣 The Global Precipitation Measurement mission provides crucial data on rainfall patterns during severe weather events.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of Cassini spacecraft's Grand Finale mission?

The Cassini spacecraft's Grand Finale mission aimed to explore the unique region between Saturn and its rings, collecting data about Saturn, its magnetosphere, rings, and moons.

Q: How much rainfall did Hurricane Irma drop?

Data from the GPM mission estimated that Hurricane Irma dropped heavy rain, often exceeding 6 inches, along its path from the Leeward Islands to the southeastern United States.

Q: Who launched to the International Space Station?

Astronauts Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, launched to the International Space Station from Kazakhstan.

Q: What was tested during the Orion spacecraft parachute test?

Engineers tested the parachute system for NASA's Orion spacecraft, simulating a situation where Orion would need to abort off the Space Launch System rocket and bypass part of the normal parachute deployment sequence.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Cassini spacecraft completes its Grand Finale mission with a plunge into Saturn's atmosphere, collecting valuable data about the planet's magnetosphere, rings, and moons.

• Data from the GPM mission estimates the amount of rainfall dropped by Hurricane Irma, causing damage to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

• Astronauts launch to the International Space Station for a five-and-a-half-month stay.

• Successful test of Orion spacecraft's parachute system for deep space missions.

• Astronaut Shane Kimbrough shares his experiences as the Commander of the International Space Station's Expedition 50 crew.