<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><font size="4" class="">Good morning all,</font><div class=""><font size="4" class=""> For all those in the US I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration, enjoyed your week off, and I know are so happy to be back to school today…:-) tomorrow I will be visiting Valencia College speaking with the students….I have not been to a college in quite a while and this will be very interesting because it is actually one of the students, Thalia, who is initiating it to bring STEM & STEAM interest to her fellow students….then on Thursday I leave for two weeks in Norway….always so very special…..I always mention, at presentations, about seeing the ISS fly over your area….the site has been revived: <a href="https://spotthestation.nasa.gov" class="">https://spotthestation.nasa.gov</a> & <a href="https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/signup.cfm" class="">https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/signup.cfm</a> check it out to see something very special….<span class="">w</span><span class="" style="background-color: white;"><span class="">e have to remember to always do our best, enjoy everything we do, live in the present, make each day special, let those we care about most know, smile, and have fun...Gabe</span></span></font></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="title-bar" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 2em 0px;"><div class="title-wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 738.75px; padding: 0px;"><h1 class="title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.1; color: inherit; font-size: 2.2em;">NASA Saturn Mission Prepares for 'Ring-Grazing Orbits'</h1></div></div><section id="ember913" class="opened collapsible ember-view" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; overflow-y: hidden;"><div class="text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><div class="context-full_width dnd-atom-wrapper type-video" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 2em;"><div class="dnd-drop-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="scald-youtube-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; padding-top: 25px; height: 0px; padding-bottom: 554.0625px;"><iframe title="Cassini’s High-Flying, Ring-Grazing Orbits" width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gj8l2f9prYk?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZpKPaDTVy36z0U8GxoiIkZa&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 985px; height: 579.0625px; margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""></iframe></div></div><div class="dnd-legend-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="caption" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Now in its final year of operations, on Nov. 30, 2016, NASA’s Cassini mission will begin a daring set of ring-grazing orbits, skimming past the outside edge of Saturn's main rings. Cassini will fly closer to Saturn’s rings than it has since its 2004 arrival. It will begin the closest study of the rings and offer unprecedented views of moons that orbit near them. Even more dramatic orbits ahead will bring Cassini closer to Saturn than any spacecraft has dared to go before.</div><div class="credits" style="font-size: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"></div><div class="link" style="font-size: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; background-image: inherit; background-attachment: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-size: inherit; padding: 0px;"></div></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;" class=""><font size="4" class="">First Phase in Dramatic Endgame for Long-Lived Cassini Spacecraft</font></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><font size="4" class="">A thrilling ride is about to begin for NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Engineers have been pumping up the spacecraft's orbit around Saturn <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4830" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="">this year</a> to increase its tilt with respect to the planet's equator and rings. And on Nov. 30, following a gravitational nudge from Saturn's moon Titan, Cassini will enter the first phase of the mission's dramatic endgame. Launched in 1997, Cassini has been touring the Saturn system since arriving there in 2004 for an up-close study of the planet, its rings and moons. During its journey, Cassini has made numerous dramatic discoveries, including a global ocean within Enceladus and liquid methane seas on Titan. Between Nov. 30 and April 22, Cassini will circle high over and under the poles of Saturn, diving every seven days -- a total of 20 times -- through the unexplored region at the outer edge of the main rings. "We're calling this phase of the mission Cassini's Ring-Grazing Orbits, because we'll be skimming past the outer edge of the rings," said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "In addition, we have two instruments that can sample particles and gases as we cross the ringplane, so in a sense Cassini is also 'grazing' on the rings.” On many of these passes, Cassini's instruments will attempt to directly sample ring particles and molecules of faint gases that are found close to the rings. During the first two orbits, the spacecraft will pass directly through an extremely faint ring produced by tiny meteors striking the two small moons Janus and Epimetheus. Ring crossings in March and April will send the spacecraft through the dusty outer reaches of the F ring. "Even though we're flying closer to the F ring than we ever have, we'll still be more than 4,850 miles (7,800 kilometers) distant. There’s very little concern over dust hazard at that range," said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at JPL. The F ring marks the outer boundary of the main ring system; Saturn has several other, much fainter rings that lie farther from the planet. The F ring is complex and constantly changing: Cassini images have shown structures like bright streamers, wispy filaments and dark channels that appear and develop over mere hours. The ring is also quite narrow -- only about 500 miles (800 kilometers) wide. At its core is a denser region about 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide.</font></p><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><span style="font-weight: 700;" class="">So Many Sights to See</span></div><div class="type-image dnd-atom-wrapper context-full_width" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto 2em;"><div class="dnd-drop-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/rings_diagram_discovery_order.gif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial initial;" class=""><img typeof="foaf:Image" width="985" height="554" alt="Animation of Saturn's rings" title="" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 10px;" apple-inline="yes" id="453C111E-1BEA-45A2-BF18-930CE84162A6" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:AA6387B9-C029-4F11-B705-A3449C64E340" class=""></a></div><div class="dnd-legend-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="caption" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Saturn's rings were named alphabetically in the order they were discovered. The narrow F ring marks the outer boundary of the main ring system.</div><div class="credits" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute</div><div class="link" style="font-size: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; background-image: inherit; background-attachment: inherit; background-origin: inherit; background-clip: inherit; background-size: inherit; padding: 0px;"></div></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><font size="4" class="">Cassini's ring-grazing orbits offer unprecedented opportunities to observe the menagerie of small moons that orbit in or near the edges of the rings, including best-ever looks at the moons Pandora, Atlas, Pan and Daphnis. Grazing the edges of the rings also will provide some of the closest-ever studies of the outer portions of Saturn's main rings (the A, B and F rings). Some of Cassini's views will have a level of detail not seen since the spacecraft glided just above them during its arrival in 2004. The mission will begin imaging the rings in December along their entire width, resolving details smaller than 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) per pixel and building up Cassini's highest-quality complete scan of the rings' intricate structure. The mission will continue investigating small-scale features in the A ring called "propellers," which reveal the presence of unseen moonlets. Because of their airplane propeller-like shapes, scientists have given some of the more persistent features informal names inspired by famous aviators, including "Earhart." Observing propellers at high resolution will likely reveal new details about their origin and structure. And in March, while coasting through Saturn's shadow, Cassini will observe the rings backlit by the sun, in the hope of catching clouds of dust ejected by meteor impacts.</font></p><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><span style="font-weight: 700;" class=""><font size="4" class="">Preparing for the Finale</font></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><font size="4" class="">During these orbits, Cassini will pass as close as about 56,000 miles (90,000 kilometers) above Saturn's cloud tops. But even with all their exciting science, these orbits are merely a prelude to the planet-grazing passes that lie ahead. In April 2017, the spacecraft will begin its Grand Finale phase. After nearly 20 years in space, the mission is <a href="https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/grand-finale/why-end-the-mission/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; background-position: 0px 0px;" class="">drawing near its end</a> because the spacecraft is running low on fuel. The Cassini team carefully designed the finale to conduct an extraordinary science investigation before sending the spacecraft into Saturn to protect its potentially habitable moons. During its grand finale, Cassini will pass as close as 1,012 miles (1,628 kilometers) above the clouds as it dives repeatedly through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings, before making its mission-ending plunge into the planet’s atmosphere on Sept. 15. But before the spacecraft can leap over the rings to begin its finale, some preparatory work remains. To begin with, Cassini is scheduled to perform a brief burn of its main engine during the first super-close approach to the rings on Dec. 4. This maneuver is important for fine-tuning the orbit and setting the correct course to enable the remainder of the mission. "This will be the 183rd and last currently planned firing of our main engine. Although we could still decide to use the engine again, the plan is to complete the remaining maneuvers using thrusters," said Maize. To further prepare, Cassini will observe Saturn's atmosphere during the ring-grazing phase of the mission to more precisely determine how far it extends above the planet. Scientists have observed Saturn's outermost atmosphere to expand and contract slightly with the seasons since Cassini's arrival. Given this variability, the forthcoming data will be important for helping mission engineers determine how close they can safely fly the spacecraft. For details about Cassini's Ring-Grazing Orbits, including timing, closest approach distances and highlights, visit: <span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700; background-position: 0px 0px;" class=""><a href="https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/2966/ring-grazing-orbits" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; background-position: 0px 0px;" class="">https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/2966/ring-grazing-orbits</a> </span>The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter. More information about Cassini: <span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700; background-position: 0px 0px;" class=""><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/cassini" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; background-position: 0px 0px;" class="">http://www.nasa.gov/cassini</a> & </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700; background-position: 0px 0px;" class=""><a href="http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decoration: none; background-position: 0px 0px;" class="">http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov</a></span></font></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><h3 id="title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Titillium Web', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 24px; margin: 0.5em 0.5em 0.5em 0px !important;" class=""><br class=""></h3><div class=""><div class=""><h3 id="title" style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; font-size: 24px; margin: 0.5em 0.5em 0.5em 0px !important;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: border-box;" class="">Prototype of Space Station's Advanced Plant Habitat</span></h3></div></div><div class=""><span style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-family: 'Titillium Web', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(49, 49, 49);" class=""><font color="#ffffff" class="">A high fidelity test version of NASA’s Advanced Plant Habitat (APH), the largest plant chamber built for the agency, arrived at Kennedy Space Center the third week of November, 2016. The APH unit, containing small flowering plant seeds, will be delivered to the International Space Station in 2017</font></span></span></div></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><div class="image slide-container" data-bindattr-1296="1296" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; width: auto; height: calc(85% - 100px); font-family: 'Titillium Web', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(49, 49, 49);"><div id="ember1305" class="ember-view loaded flex-wrapper col-xs-push-1 col-xs-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: 1138.328125px; left: 8.333330154418945%; overflow: hidden; align-items: center; top: 50px; height: 618.375px; background-position: 0px 0px;"><img data-bindattr-1319="1319" class="img-responsive" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; opacity: 1; -webkit-transition: opacity 0.5s; transition: opacity 0.5s; margin: 0px auto; position: relative;" apple-inline="yes" id="CCB756A4-83D6-4877-B709-7F691756EB48" height="427" width="640" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:F1B13A54-4ED0-4EE8-BFC8-A3D48C76E763"></div><br class=""></div></div><div class="feature-credits" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;"></div></div></section></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></body></html>