Crazy Engineering: Astrodynamics

NASA's Cassini spacecraft, in orbit around Saturn for nearly 13 years, is beginning its Grand Finale - and it's thanks to some Crazy Engineering! A team of engineers called astrodynamicists used math and physics to plot a course for the hardy spacecraft that would send it on a series of dives through the gap between Saturn and its famous rings. And as always, the efforts of these engineers are helping to enable some truly thrilling exploration and scientific discovery. More information about Cassini's Grand Finale is available at saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/grandfinale

[@okby8600]

JPL videos are great. Thank you for public outreach.

[@AnimalsAndReports]

Cassini's grand finale will be a bittersweet farewell... I know I'm gonna cry

[@4Gamers00]

Who else knows everything about astrodynamics and orbital mechanics just 'cause of Kerbal Space Program?

[@victorarnault]

What's this?

[@dariusduesentrieb]

hi

[@KerbalSpaceCommand]

Me

[@dariusduesentrieb]

SURPRISE

[@Gringo_Lingo]

Imagine trying to hit this trajectory in KSP good god its hard enough getting to Mun

[@ShanesTech]

Now I want to become an Astrodynamicist, making flight paths is really cool but not that easy, its challenging and I like to be challenged.🚀🚀🚀

[@a-p-c-rproject2150]

Thanks Cassini!!!

[@violentbenevolence]

This is really cool actually. Can't wait to see more of TASTY Saturn

[@spaceymcnutz4216]

Amazing! Thanks for the upload JPL!😊

[@shavono8402]

ooh i would like some more of this series!

[@victorarnault]

Wow! That's amazing!

[@zeramino]

Crazy cool video! Thank you so much, I want more and longer videos from you guys. I wonder what was calculated with that hyper parabola drawn on the board, really curious about how advanced this math is!

[@karenkelleher477]

GRAND is right! Like Joan. RIP Cassini. Thanks JPL.

[@UpHigherMusicOfficial]

How close to the inner ring will it get? Will we be able to see the individual particles that make the rings up?

[@meepster554]

JPL should build a statue in honor of Cassini, look how much it's discovered in it's life.

[@manuel290597]

NICE !!!!!!!

[@DMRMRT_TR]

great

[@vincentustach]

What codes does NASA use to simulate those trajectories? Asking for a friend.

[@Kalumbatsch]

Great, you have a new word for people who calculate trajectories.

[@w9gb]

CH4 and H2O (radiation less than Jupiter) ...
sounds like a spot for that "Saturn Outpost" by the end of this century.

[@dennisjoseph4528]

what type of engineering involves astrodynamics?

[@babatulani6361]

Astronautical engineering.
Nowadays, it's called Aerospace engineering

[@dennisjoseph4528]

***** are they the same branch now? Is astronautics a part of aerospace?

[@babatulani6361]

Aerospace is the result of the merging of aeronautics and astronautics.

[@dennisjoseph4528]

Thanks a lot

[@KerbalSpaceCommand]

What degree do I need to become an astrodynamicist?

[@RawSauce338]

Kerbal Space Command aerospace engineering with a focus in astrodynamics

[@LazieKat]

some courses are enough for "you" ツ

[@spaceymcnutz4216]

Kerbal Space Command Hey I love your vids!

[@KerbalSpaceCommand]

Thanks :)

[@vincentustach]

You could major in physics too and get a mission job, I would think.

[@ebudist]

Rich Purnell bring me here...

[@AmricanEagl]

Thirteen years flying in the space! Even if there were some microbes stuck in Cassini they would toasted by being exposed to space radiation all these years.

[@thecrystalcrystals9242]

Personally, I'd send a mission to Europa before any observatory probes go to Enceladus, as Jupiter is closer to Earth than Saturn is, thus saving us fuel and time between launch and arrival

[@reaality3860]

How hard can it be? It's not like 'rocket science'. .. oh wait... ... ...

[@larryg2320]

Ok. I understand the need to not contaminate the satellites of Jupiter. Why not park the vehicle in or near one of the rings? Maybe some future mission might be able to use it as salvage. Or, maybe not.

[@rzabcio3]

The problem with your plan is... it's impossible. In Space you just can't "park" anything, bodies are in constant motion, orbiting some other, larger body. There is this saying: "in Space statistics is on your side". It seems not working in the Saturn system which is so crowded with moons (and smaller rocks in its rings) you just cannot define any stable orbit in long-term. All orbits will be sooner or later influenced by some other body, and the spacecraft will hit something.

[@mdturnerinoz]

Now THIS is how I love my tax dollars spent; NOT on the M.I.C.!

[@d3g3n3r4t3]

M.I.C. - Military Industrial Complex

[@optimusprime9395]

There is no god but Allah.......For all Christians,Jesus is false god......as Allah has righteously explained the earth is flat

[@kensrocketry2785]

optimus prime how is your comment related to how the persons tax dollar is spent towards on?

[@SadeceOyuncu]

:)

[@procrasti86]

Roaming the vacuum of space for 13 years, spreading them microbes left and right
Protect dem moons yo

[@user-in8ht2oo5h]

Cassini will crash in my birthday lol

[@PauloOliveira-uq1yk]

How could be possible the astrodynamicist be a frat boy, and not a sweating lazy fat with a pocket protector and no social life? My internal truths are being shattered at this very moment...

[@hikmetates1346]

turkish