Cassini Operational Sun Sensor Risk Management During Proximal Orbit Saturn Ring Plane Crossings

Abstract: NASA’s Cassini Spacecraft, launched on October 15th, 1997 which arrived at Saturn on June 30th, 2004, is the largest and most ambitious interplanetary spacecraft in history. As the first spacecraft to achieve orbit at Saturn, Cassini has collected science data throughout its four-year prime mission (2004–08), and has since been approved for a first and second extended mission through 2017. As part of the final extended missions, Cassini will begin an aggressive and exciting campaign of high i…