NASA's Cassini spacecraft began sending back data from its unprecedented plunge through Saturn's rings Thursday morning, and the pictures are unlike anything we've seen.
- Cassini spacecraft makes dangerous pass through Saturn's rings
- Cassini's dish antenna was used as a shield
- Spacecraft will make 21 more crossings before end of mission
- RELATED: More raw images from Cassini from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab
Digital images show the daring path that Cassini traveled Monday, going where no spacecraft has gone before, just between Saturn and its rings.
The gap between the rings and the top of Saturn's atmosphere is about 1,500 miles.
The rings are comprised of countless icy particles that could have damaged or destroyed the spacecraft. Cassini's big dish antenna served as a shield as it hurtled through the narrow gap, temporarily cutting off communications with Earth.
This is it! Through the gap between #Saturn and its rings. Instruments are on, but we're out of contact with Earth. Here we goooooo! pic.twitter.com/3J7aRZS0IH
— CassiniSaturn (@CassiniSaturn) April 26, 2017
But now, it's back in contact with NASA controllers.
The pictures show Saturn's atmosphere closer than ever before. There's an entire gallery of raw images, giving NASA more material to study the planet.
Cassini will make 21 more ring crossings until it ends its mission in September by plunging into Saturn's atmosphere, where it will burn up like a meteor. But it will send back data until it loses contact for good.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.