时间：2025-09-16 09:01:57 来源：网络整理编辑：熱點
Cassini shot the gap and lived to tell the tale.The Saturn-exploring spacecraft managed to successfu
Cassini shot the gap and lived to tell the tale.
The Saturn-exploring spacecraft managed to successfully fly through the 1,500 mile gap between Saturn and its rings and survive seemingly unscathed.
New photos beamed home after it completed that daredevil maneuver show the planet's atmosphere from a closer distance than ever before. At its nearest point, Cassini flew about 1,900 miles above Saturn's clouds, which are mainly comprised of hydrogen and helium.
SEE ALSO:Cassini's stellar Saturn maneuvers get the adorable celebration they deserveWhile the unprocessed images still look pretty rough, they show details of Saturn's atmosphere that aren't usually on display.
Credit: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/SSCI"No spacecraft has ever been this close to Saturn before. We could only rely on predictions, based on our experience with Saturn's other rings, of what we thought this gap between the rings and Saturn would be like," Cassini project manager Earl Maize said in a statement.
NASA was confident that Cassini would move into its new orbit without much of a problem, but it was still a risky maneuver.
No spacecraft has ever explored this part of Saturn before, and Cassini was moving at about 77,000 miles per hour as it shot between the large planet and its rings. If even a relatively small particle had dinged the craft during its dive, it could have destroyed the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/SSCICassini -- which has been studying Saturn and its dozens of moons on humanity's behalf for 13 years -- is nearing the end of its mission. But it's not quite finished with its daredevil-like feats.
The spacecraft is expected to dive through the gap between Saturn and its rings a total of 22 times, with the next drop happening on May 2.
The mission will come to an end on September 15 when Cassini makes a planned plunge into Saturn's atmosphere, burning up in the process.
Here's what 'Game of Thrones' actors get up to between takes2025-09-16 08:53
Singapore will put high2025-09-16 08:52
Watch someone smash up Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame2025-09-16 08:45
Samsung will now swap or refund your Note7 at the airport2025-09-16 08:39
Dog elected for third term as mayor of Minnesota town2025-09-16 08:10
Weight Watchers criticised for linking weight and sex life with 'mood lightbulbs'2025-09-16 07:52
Cara Delevingne is getting her very own documentary2025-09-16 06:59
3.2 million debit cards compromised in India as banks investigate security breaches2025-09-16 06:55
Wikipedia co2025-09-16 06:30
Caramel M&Ms are coming to make your dreams come true2025-09-16 06:26
Samsung Galaxy Note7 teardown reveals the magic behind the phone's iris scanner2025-09-16 08:46
Jeff Bezos says he wouldn't kick Peter Thiel off Amazon's board over political views2025-09-16 08:29
Earth's streak of record warm months is coming to an end... but it will be back2025-09-16 08:29
Have we reached peak Twitter trolling?2025-09-16 07:27
Despite IOC ban, Rio crowds get their political messages across2025-09-16 07:25
The story of Otto, the creator of Uber's self2025-09-16 07:19
New York Times prints terrifying list of all of Donald Trump's Twitter insults2025-09-16 07:16
Women will direct every single episode of 'Jessica Jones' Season 22025-09-16 07:00
Did our grandparents have the best beauty advice?2025-09-16 07:00
Josh Norman will mime drinking beer to prove his point about the NFL2025-09-16 06:39
