NEARLY twenty years after blasting off into space, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has ended its long journey in the most epic way ever – it’s about to send itself hurtling towards Saturn.

At around 12.55pm UK time today (Friday 15 September), communication with the £2.5bn project ended as the spacecraft deliberately drove itself into the planet Saturn.

Cassini’s daring mission!

It took Cassini seven years to travel two billion miles to the ringed planet, arriving there in 2004. Cassini has been investigating Saturn and its moons ever since. For the last nine years, Cassini has continued to explore Saturn’s many moons and rings.

The spacecraft’s final months have seen it undertake 22 daring loops between Saturn and the planet’s innermost ring.

Rather strangely, Star Trek actor Robert Picardo has written an opera to say goodbye to Cassini.

One line reads: “Goodbye, Cassini. Your mission’s fini. Bravo, Cassini! Have some linguini.”

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(Picture credit: NASA)