Courtesy of NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Other articles by Eric Schwartz:

Cassini's radar pulls aside Titan's atmospheric shroudCO2 shape shifts and moves about on mysterious IapetusExtragalactic astronomers immerse themselves inside 'violent physics' Galaxies far more prolific in hinterlands of universe Extragalactic astronomy: the big picture UA sheds light on bacterial infections NASA/Space Grant interns celebrate accomplishments Teacher hopes science spark grows into a fire in the belly 2-century math problem no match for Tucsonans Low voltage helps increase chemical yields

General
A1 Communications
Cable Techs Health Care
Sierra Tucson
Eating Disorders Program Coordinator Trades/Construction
RANCHO RESORT
MAINTANANCE POSITION

After traveling about 3.5 billion miles in nearly seven years, a little less than 13,000 pounds of complex technology from home is nearly finished with its original mission to explore Saturn and its moons

Named for Giovanni Domenico Cassini, the 17th-century astronomer who discovered four of Saturn's moon, the Cassini Mission to Saturn has provided new and fascinating information on the outer solar system since it arrived there in 2004. It was launched in 1997.

Cassini is a product of the "world's finest engineers" and is expected to function and provide data even after its primary mission ends at the end of summer, said Jonathan Lunine, a professor in the Lunar and Planetary Lab at the University of Arizona.

Lunine is an interdisciplinary scientist for the mission and has been involved in Cassini for 25 years, since the conceptual stages of the mission.

Cassini is a project of NASA, the European Space Agency and 17 countries.