Cassini's Saturn Mission Goes Out In A Blaze Of Glory

"Controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent a final command Friday morning to the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn. Not long after, accounting for the vast distance the message traveled, the order was received, putting the craft into a suicidal swan dive in which it plummeted into the ringed planet's atmosphere."

"Flight Director Julie Webster called "loss of signal" at about 7:55 a.m. ET, followed by Project Manager Earl Maize announcing "end of mission" as the spacecraft began to break up in Saturn's atmosphere."

"'Congratulations to you all,' Maize announced to applause. 'It's been an incredible mission, incredible spacecraft, and you're all an incredible team.'"