On June 24, 1999, NASA's Cassini spacecraft flew by Venus while making its way to Saturn.
Taking advantage Venus's gravity, Cassini gained enough momentum during the encounter to slingshot out past the asteroid belt. This was actually the second time Cassini swooped around Venus for a so-called gravitational-assist flyby. It passed within 3,700 miles of the planet's surface before flinging out into the solar system. After Venus, it flew by Earth, the Moon, and Jupiter before arriving at Saturn. The whole trip from Venus to Saturn took about five years!
Taking advantage Venus's gravity, Cassini gained enough momentum during the encounter to slingshot out past the asteroid belt. This was actually the second time Cassini swooped around Venus for a so-called gravitational-assist flyby. It passed within 3,700 miles of the planet's surface before flinging out into the solar system. After Venus, it flew by Earth, the Moon, and Jupiter before arriving at Saturn. The whole trip from Venus to Saturn took about five years!
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00:00On this day in space.
00:04In 1999, NASA's Cassini spacecraft flew by Venus while making its way to Saturn.
00:08Taking advantage of Venus' gravity, Cassini gained enough momentum
00:12during the encounter to slingshot out past the asteroid belt.
00:16This was actually the second time Cassini swooped around Venus for a so-called gravitational
00:20assist flyby. It passed within 3,700 miles of the planet's
00:24surface before flinging out into the solar system. After Venus,
00:28it flew by Earth, the Moon, and Jupiter before arriving at Saturn.
00:32The whole trip from Venus to Saturn took about five years.
00:36And that's what happened on this day in space.
00:40music