The Cassini program is an international cooperative effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), as well as several separate European academic and industrial contributors. The Cassini partnership represents an undertaking whose scope and cost would not likely be borne by any single nation, but is made possible through shared investment and participation. Through the mission, about 260 scientists from 17 countries hope to gain a better understanding of Saturn, its stunning rings, its magnetosphere, Titan and its other icy moons.
This is the third video made with Cassini imagery that has gone viral over the last few years — the others: Cassini Mission by Chris Abbas:
…and the previously featured Outer Space by Sander van den Berg. Perhaps that popularity reflects just how incredible it is to see these up close glimpses of the sixth planet from 900 million miles away.
Also, just in case the kids didn’t see it: The Day The Earth Smiled.
via The Verge.