June 30, 6pm pacific time, the live coverage begins. (Doc M said that when he rode his bike onto the lab today [tues] there was a tent and signs saying, "Media do not go past this point.") So it's gonna be SHOWTIME! for JPL once again. The nailbiter event includes a 96-minute retrorocket burn before orbit insertion.
webcast/broadcast schedule (beginning from 9am)
A Guide to Saturn Orbit Insertion: June 30 (All times are approximate and listed in Pacific Time)
NASA TV/webcast coverage begins at 6:30 pm. [click more for the full schedule]
- 6:10 pm Spacecraft turns so its high-gain antenna can shield the craft from particles as it crosses Saturn's ring plane
- 7:36 pm Engine begins burn, which will slow spacecraft down so it can be captured by Saturn's gravity. Burn lasts approximately 96 minutes.
- 8:54 pm Cassini captured in Saturn orbit.
- 9:03 pm Closest approach to Saturn of entire mission: 19,980 kilometers (12,400 miles) from Saturn's cloud tops.
- 9:12-9:22 pm Engine burn ends.
- 9:35 pm Spacecraft begins to take pictures of Saturn's rings.
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