“Cassini: The Grand Finale” at JPL

Artist concept of Cassini’s Saturn Orbit Insertion (Photo – JPL/NASA, wikipedia.org).

Going out in a Blaze of Glory: Cassini Science Highlights and Grand Finale!

The Cassini mission’s findings have revolutionized our understanding of Saturn, its complex rings, the amazing assortment of moons and the planet’s dynamic magnetic environment. Icy jets shoot from the tiny moon Enceladus; Titan’s hydrocarbon lakes and seas are dominated by liquid ethane and methane, and complex pre-biotic chemicals form in the atmosphere and rain to the surface. What new puzzles will Cassini solve before it plunges into Saturn’s atmosphere rather than risk crashing into one of Saturn’s ocean worlds and contaminating it?

The von Kármán Lecture Series at JPL

Hear the story of recent science discoveries and the upcoming excitement during Cassini’s final orbits. Dr. Linda Spilker, Cassini Project Scientist, will present highlights of Cassini’s ambitious inquiry at Saturn and an overview of science observations in the final orbits. Dr. Earl Maize, Cassini Program Manager, will discuss Cassini’s exciting challenges, ultimately flying through a region where no spacecraft has ever flown before.

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after JPL’s founder and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, brings the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies to both JPL employees and the local community.

Date/Time
05/04/2017
7:00 pm

Location
The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL

> The Thursday lecture take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium and are streamed live via Ustream, and Friday lecture takes place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7:00 PM. Admission and parking are free for all lectures, no reservations are required, but seating is limited.