The ‘ball of yarn’ – traces from 294 orbits in the Saturn system
The ‘ball of yarn’ – traces from 294 orbits in the Saturn system
Between 2004 and 2017, the Cassini spacecraft orbited the Saturn system 294 times at different distances and inclinations (angle with respect to the plane of the rings or Saturn's equator). The mission consisted of three phases: the primary mission phase, the ‘Equinox Phase’ and the ‘Solstice phase’. Cassini's ‘Grand Finale’ was initiated in April 2017 as the end of the mission drew nearer, which will be completed by a spectacular dive into the planet's atmosphere. The gravitational pull of Saturn's largest moon Titan was used to aid with orbital corrections for Cassini's final dives.
