Eight years!, Cassini-Huygens soldiers on Options

[jasedm]

8 years since orbit insertion - something of a milestone!

It seems a lifetime since the insertion burn, and then having to wait 4 long months whilst the initial capture orbit was completed....

Many congratulations to all those involved in this fantastic mission, and thanks for the exemplary accessibilty to the raw data on the website throughout those 8 years. 5+ years remaining, with F-ring and proximal orbits to look forward to.

I was almost moved to write an ode, but my poetry is less Shakespeare, more Bulwer-Lytton...

[tasp]

Amazing achievement. I thought orbiting Saturn for one Saturnian season was pushing expectations, and it looks like they will get pretty close to 2. that would be almost 180 degrees around the sun. I love watching the changing aspect of the rings to the sun and the shadows across the planet itself.

13 years at Saturn makes me hope someday we get 20 at Uranus. A 90 degree arc around the sun would get us some amazing long term picture sequences of one season there.

Hope the Cassini mission team understands just how much everyone of us here at UMSF appreciates their work on this incredible flight.