Article: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7251
- The article describes seven different discoveries made by NASA about Saturn. It was discovered when Cassini was running out of fuel. NASA "went for gold" and steered it close to Saturn's orbit, and discovered many things about it's rings and atmosphere. "Scientists saw water and silicates, but they were surprised to see also methane, ammonia, carbon monoxide, nitrogen and carbon dioxide." There is also a phenomenon known as "ring rain" where the newly discovered electro-current connection between the Saturn belts and the top of its atmosphere, allows particles and elements to fall to the surface. There is also nano-meter sized particles (like smoke) between the rings, meaning that some unknown process is grinding up particles.
- The scientists and engineers that worked on Cassini and it's findings in Grand Finale, wanted to use the last of the spacecraft's fuel to discover something new. They had to calculate how to steer Cassini close enough to Saturn's atmosphere so that they could see things at the maximum detail possible, but not to close so that the spacecraft would be trapped in Saturn's orbit. "Not only did the flight path push the spacecraft to its limits, the new findings illustrate how powerful and agile the instruments were." The space craft had to be carefully designed to last as long as it did, and perform the the tasks under the conditions it was going to be placed under.
- The discovery of carbon dioxide is pretty important. Saturn is a "gas giant" meaning it has a rocky core but it's surface is composed of hydrogen and helium. Carbon dioxide is a key element in human life, it not only captures the heat radiated off of Earth's surface, but also provides plants with the process "photosynthesis." Without this human life isn't possible, so the next thought might be "Oh well Saturn has CO2, let's just go there if Earth gets messy!" but I think it would still be virtually impossible since the planet is a gas giant and is not habitable. Also the newly discovered "ring rain" would be pretty hard to handle, since LA rain is enough to cause complaining for most. Also "ring rain" would be pretty dangerous, and the whole falling through the planet thing with no real surface is kind of a dealbreaker. This newly discovered information has the potential of lending more information about other planets and space in general.
- I think that the development of the Cassini is more comparable to the JPL groups. The idea of working together to create something that has a use is similar to NASA in this respect. With the invention of a machine comes the designing stage, which is the job of many at NASA, and the job of the group for our JPL project. Testing the function of the machine is also important to see if it works in the way that was intended. Teamwork is extremely important for the success of a joint project, everyone must be committed and actively doing their part. Below are some quotes about teamwork, progress, and accomplishments of the NASA's Dellingr Team after being awarded the IRAD award.
--“Despite a tight budget and aggressive schedule, this team accomplished this and more. The team inaugurated a new era for scientists wanting to use small, highly resilient satellites to carry out important, and in some cases, never-before-tried science.”
--“The team has tackled issues head on, is collecting and analyzing data, and has moved CubeSat capabilities from rudimentary, unreliable spacecraft to highly capable science platforms, all while enhancing workforce skills,”
--“I think we’ll be enjoying the fruits of the team’s labor for years to come.”
