NASA at Saturn: Cassini's Grand Finale 

In 1994, as one of my first assignments as a new engineer for the OFC Corporation, I was asked to work on the optics for Cassini. My partner and I worked on the coatings for the VIMS optics. In the fall of 1994, six optical sets passed QC and were hand-carried by JPL to Cincinnati Electronics for assembly in the VIMS unit. I still have one of the optics that failed QC and didn't make the flight. It's sitting here on my desk right now. Working on Cassini was probably the most important contribution I ever made as an engineer. Just to think of it up there, orbiting Saturn, has been a daily inspiration to me.

Brave little spacecraft. **wipes away a tear**

I cried a little at the end. Godspeed you brave robot, solitary space explorer, font of knowledge, the tip of humanity's shallow reach.

"As cassini becomes the part of the planet itself ". The line touched my heart ❤❤❤

This is sheer poetry: "Where methane rivers run, into a methane sea." "Ruled by raging storms and delicate harmonies of gravity."

Even now I can't understand why I almost cry every time I watch this video

I don't know why, but the line "On the final orbit, Cassini will plunge into Saturn, fighting to keep it's antenna pointed at Earth" gets me sad. Almost like it's trying as hard it can to make us proud one last time

This video actually won a 2018 Emmy Award! It is THAT good.

Less war, More space, that's what humanity needs.

My parents almost named me Cassini. I was born the same day it was launched, and only miles away from the launch sight 😊

Wow, i never knew that a spacecraft can make me cry

Cassini: Was I a good spacecraft? Death: No, I heard you were the best.

You can't but feel an emotional connection to Cassini in its final moments. Even though it's an inanimate object, the fact that it has a name, you automatically create an emotional attachment to it and makes you want it to succeed in whatever it was built to do. And that's why it's sad to see it be destroyed. Even if its mission was a success. So, thank you Cassini!

*Do not go gentle into the good night. Rage. Rage against the dying of the light.* Wipes tear

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Cassini mission.

Cassini’s last message: I know now why you cry… but that’s something I can never do. Goodbye…

I can't help but cry. When you think about it, it's so beautiful. Setting out on a mission into a literal unknown world, doing your part to provide the home base with as much information as you can while withstanding brutal energy, rocks,etc for 20 years. Realizing your time is coming to an end but you keep your work as your priority....until the final moment. I wonder how the engineers must feel? The scientists? I imagine it's like listening to the last words of a fallen comrade staring at the face of death, unwavering and telling you to stick with the mission and be safe.

This is the best video FX I've ever seen by NASA. Amazing. I'm crying. :')

Feel for the scientists and the engineers who made this little probe. To them, it would be nothing short of their child, millions of kilometers away, unseen for twenty years, and taking hours to respond to the simplest of commands, yet it continues to make its parents proud, and delivering what is requested. The suspense and anxiety those mission controllers must have felt in the last twenty years have to result in some kind of emotion bond to that little computer. Imagine sending your daughter out into the unknown, facing countless dangers and always playing the odds, running on processors two decades old yet still functioning and transmitting massive amounts of data home, never giving up. The little probe has made hundreds of maneuvers, each one painstakingly planned and executed, each one biting into her fuel reserves, each one bringing her closer to her end. Imagine the programmers who gave her the knowledge to keep herself safe, the engineers who designed her to be our eyes and ears, and the flight controllers who worked nonstop for twenty years to keep their child safe. To some it will be their entire career, others their magnum opus, but for all of us Cassini is our trailblazer, for in her footsteps we must follow. We must continue to send our robotic creations into the abyss, so that someday we might go ourselves, wielding all the knowledge these brave children of ours have collected. Our descendants might never find Cassini after her cremation into Saturn, but they will go where Cassini has gone, see what Cassini has seen, and they will remember her and thank her for leading them there. Cassini might not be able to think as we humans do, or talk as we can, but she is more human than many of us will ever be, she embodies our spirit of courage, curiosity, fascination and exploration, embarking on a one way trip in the hopes that others will follow. Don't be afraid to shed a tear for our little girl, be afraid that we might let her down, and to squander her efforts. Next time you see a bright star in the low summer sky, glistening over the horizon, just know that Cassini is there, beckoning you to come visit her.

It’s been almost 2 years and I still cry every time I watch this.

Thank you Cassini, you'll be apart of human pride... I don't understand, why did I cried for a machine.

Couldn't help but imagine Cassini asking as it fights to stay together over Saturn, "Earth, Did I do good?" You sure did, Cassini. You sure did ...

This is one of the things I love about being human, we can give life to a piece of metal thought words and sound. I felt emotions and maybe even shed a tear at this. It's just a spacecraft crashing into a planet, but it becomes so much more. Great video! Wish it had a non-narration version just to enjoy the beautiful sights and great music.

*I'M NOT CRYING* *WE ARE ALL CRYING*

13 years at Saturn... Wow, Cassini-Huygens is the best thing in the history of Space Exploration. And I feel that it's part of my life also, since the beginning waiting for the arrival, the Titan Landing, all the science that came, all the photos... One of the Humans Best Achievements.

Cassini taught me a beautiful life lesson: Do your best, till you last! Such a sad moment....

Dear NASA JPL - Who created this video? PLEASE have them do all your space videos. The graphics and rendering qualities are in a different level. Best I've seen from you yet!

It’s crazy that we literally took pieces of our planet and gave it to a much bigger planet to have

That was the best-looking CGI I've ever seen of space.

Damn, that was more touching than most of the current Hollywood dramas.

Feels like a person dying not a probe. Feels bad man

Me: These inanimate objects would never make me cry. Cassini:

Cassini was launched only about a month before I was born. It'll be sad to see it go. Thanks to everyone who made this amazing mission possible.

After a voyage of close to 20 years in space, Cassini spacecraft plunged into Saturn atmosphere by 10°N sooner than expected on 15th sep 2017 by 11h45 UT at a speed exceeding 112000 km/h or 31 km/s. The DSN network received its last scientific transmission of data store in memory at 11h46 UT. Due to the intense friction, Cassini broke apart and vaporized about 45 seconds after this final transmission. Farewell, Cassini.

Became part of the planet it studied. How bitter sweet. It's kinda sad.

Rest In Peace Cassini! You will never be forgotten about you and your brave journey to Saturn. 1997-2017

That final quote sure gave me goosebumps :3 Farewell Cassini, bro!

Arigato cassini

You made me have feelings for a robot. Damnit, NASA!

I was just three months old when Cassini arrived Saturn... But Cassini is still in orbit around my heart.

Everybody shed tears for Cassini but no one cared about little guy Huygens. 😢

I could hardly hold my tears in the ending of the video. In the end of the splendid curve, with the gorgeous scenery of Saturn, Cassini marked the period by destructing itself into flakes, like a firework burning its entire energy, proudly showing the spirit of its life. Too beautiful, but too sad. It made me think of the scene in Big Hero 6, where Hiro had no choice but to leave Baymax dying alone in the world inside the out-of-control machine. Hiro left Baymax by telling Baymax that he was satisfied with his care, and JPL said goodbye to Cassini with some simple( probably complicated) code. Baymax left Hiro with the priceless chip in the fist, while Cassini left the world with numerous precious photos of Saturn and its moons.

The day Cassini first launched happened to be my dad's 20th birthday. The day that Cassini will make its final plunge into Saturn's atmosphere...just so happens to be the day after my 20th b-day. It feels so strange thinking about it, even if it's nothing more than simple coincidence. It's almost surreal thinking about the fact that such an important milestone in space exploration has spanned two different generations, starting and ending on such important dates to my family. I can't speak for my dad on how much this means to him, but it certainly means a lot to me.

RIP Cassini Spacecraft We will never forget your taken sounds and images 1997 - 2017

Wow! If anyone isn't inspired by this video, then they are pretty much hopeless. This gave me so much hope for the future. Thinking about Europa and Titan, and the future missions to those moons that may later find the first known life outside of earth. All of those future missions to Saturn will have the origins in the Cassini space probe.

This background music is so epic! I wish I could hear it without the narration.

I know what I'm going to say might sound lame, but, damn! I have tears in my eyes... Leaving this planet and joining another one, become part of it like said in the video, is such an amazingly fantastic thing that anyone who's in love with astronomy and its spiritual side would want to experience. This universe is such a tease!

I’m in tears like Cassini was a human being! I ❤️Cassini ✊🏽😫

For almost 20 years you have been our eyes, We traveled there with you, you've never been really alone in your long..long adventure. Now a part of me will burn with you. Thanks Cassini, thank you forever.

Why you make me cry? 😭

If this video doesn't make you drop a single tear - you're not a true astronomy lover

Cassini also has emotions and thoughts just like Wall-E ....The last lines were so touching

Bye Cassini and thanks for all! Прощай, Кассини, и спасибо за все!

Go, go little satellite make us proud!

I remember this day. I cried. 3 years later I'm watching it again. I'm crying.

2:37 Goosebumps! You’ll be remembered Cassini. 🥺

A scientific achievement... A story of a traveler humming itself in space. A final transmission, faring "Good bye" Made me cry and for a good reason NASA. ~ Comment Operator 3

This made me very sad, but also very happy... it is such an amazement to know just how much data scientists have gotten, from one little probe. I'll be sad to see it go.... Only three days, 6 hours and 29 minutes left until it's nothing but stripped metal in the atmosphere of Saturn... I bid you farewell, Cassini! You've really done me proud!

This video always hits me in the feels...I followed this mission from the day it launched a year after I graduated high school all the way to the finale, when I was 39. Thank you Cassini.

From 3:15 to 3:21.......... I never before saw any space animation as heartbreakingly beautiful as that ending.

I remember the day that the Cassini launched. We had bought an angelfish, and named her Cassini. My 10 year old son told his teacher about the launch of Cassini to Saturn, and his teacher told him that there was no such thing, he was mistaken.

Saturn has always had a place in my heart, when I heard Cassini was being deorbited, I cried, for a piece of metal, I sound like a next level nerd don't I

I'm so glad to have lived the past two decades glorifying in our most beautiful planet with Cassini. Thank you, NASA. And bless you, brave little traveler.

Another two days left where Cassini got ended up and now it's 4th year of its grand finale got over. Miss u Cassini ( 2021 sep 15)

All these people saying, "Wow. Look at that CG. It's all fake," need to get a grip. I mean, c'mon, this video is demonstrating the events of what will happen. How can they get footage and images of something that's gonna happen 5-6 months from now? How are they supposed to get third person footage of Cassini, when there aren't other satellites with it. Like, use your brain, of course it's CG, but how does that take away from the thousands of images that exist of Saturn right now?

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light...

Top 10 Saddest Anime Deaths

I still see this till this day and it always gives me a tear. It hits me hard every time :( Thank you for everything Cassini. You may be gone, but you will forever live in our memories.

How can you possibly dislike this video, what this video shows is truly remarkable, a magnificent achievement of the intellect of the human kind,

Seriously this ending part made me cry, breathtaking video, farewell old friend, thanks for showing us how Saturn and its moons look like , Cassini is soon gonna b apart of Saturn.

Do not go gentle into that night my little brave probe

I remember back in 2004, when I started getting interested in astronomy, hearing about the MER landings, and staying on my computer all the time to get pictures from Spirit and Opportunity of the Red Planet. I remember the launch of New Horizons, the crashing of Galileo into Jupiter, and the landing of Phoenix at the polar caps of Mars. None of these meant as much to me as Cassini and its tag along, Huygens. Seeing Phoebe, Titan, the glistening if the Sun off lakes at the north pole of the moon, the passing through jets of water from Enceladus, and the shots of the rings - everything this spacecraft took a picture of was absolutely beautiful. When I heard they'd be plunging it into Saturn back in 2017, my heart sank. Watching this video brings those memories back. I hate it when the narrator says, "...fighting to keep its antenna pointed at Earth, as it transmits its farewell." This sojourner was a friend that gave me glimpses into some of the darkest parts of our solar system, shedding light on some of the most tantalizing mysteries of Saturn. Every time I see this, it's like watching a video of a friend from years ago, only to remember they're gone, now. We're never gonna have another Cassini, and I feel terrible for the people that didn't grow up with it. They missed out on a lot.

I'm holding back tears... this video is so powerful.

Wow. Never thought a probe could reduce me to tears...but here we are. Thank you, Cassini, for your invaluable service to all of humanity.

It's worth noting that Cassini's grand finale will be going on at the same time as the Juno probe to Jupiter. Both probes will be in highly elliptical, surface-grazing orbits that will allow extremely close comparisons of the magnetic and gravitational fields of both planets at the same time. This will let us get all sorts of extremely important information about the interior structure and composition of these two planets. Plus bitchin' shots of the rings from up close.

"In the skies of saturn, the journey ends" - I cried, not gonna lie.

Who else rewatched this video like 10 times?

Godspeed Cassini...

This video makes me cry every time I watch it. Cassini was the most amazing spacecraft. I still think about how the people who made this amazing object. Thanks, NASA! #Cassini #Saturn

From quite two years i'm watching this video in loop. I grow up with this mission and all my passion for astronomy was accompanied by Cassini. Thank you little probe, from the deep of my heart

And now his watch has ended

There's just something in my eye, I'm not crying.

You put some magic into a cold, meaningless world. Thank you gentlemen.

I come back to this video every few months. Literally nothing out there will bring tears to my eyes as consistently as this.

so beautiful video, i'm glad to be following the Cassini mission since it started, i will miss her

Some great VFX production here to accompany such a mission story. I've actually screengrabbed a bunch of scenes to use as my desktop wallpaper at home and work. These look absolutely amazing on a 21:9 monitor, and it's really nice to see NASA/JPL uploaded the video in native cinematic aspect ratio, so viewers on such monitors have a full screen experience!

Goodbye Cassini, you were loyal to your mission. you will never be forgotten, as you become one with saturn.!

It's a job well done, until it's final breath. Sacrificing it's own life without asking anything in return, continuously transmitting information, making a big leap and breakthrough for the sake of mankind, what a selfless mission it is, I am moved in tears with you Cassini! Thank you!

Great video, thanks for 1440p.

Every single engineer on this planet - software, hardware, mechanical or otherwise - should tear up watching this video. Projecting control over a spacecraft hurtling through space at ridiculous speeds at a distance of *billions* of miles in an environment filled with crazy radiation and countless ice particles... for *twenty years*... the sheer amount of love and effort poured into this endeavor is staggering. Staggering. Words fail. I remember the awe of seeing the footage from Huygens, even with its backup antenna used as a contingency. Here we are more than a decade later. So long, Cassini... thank you to everyone who has been involved in this project, from its initial conception and planning through fabrication, launch, troubleshooting and evangelism. Whenever you doubt the ability of people to successfully work together, Cassini should serve as proof that we can - and what can happen when we do.

Those recreations are absolutely breathtaking. Gives me chills.

The camera man must of had a tough time filming this.

It is now 9/15/2018... one year later and Cassini still rewrites history books.

I got chills :> Thank you Cassini!!!! I'm looking forward to what Cassini will revealed at his final transmition...

What a beautiful video. I have been following the mission since it launched in 1997 and will be sad to see it go but we will always have the pictures to remind us. Thank you JPL.

Reading all this comments makes me cry... What an adventure... Wow

Epic! Thanks for these wonderful 20 years Cassini! Thanks for this amazing feat JPL!

This video is one of the most beautiful things I've seen today​. Thank you, NASA/JPL. Very well done. 👍

Thank you, Cassini.. I will miss you!

I hope I never stop tearing up, what a beautiful tribute to a marvelous adventure