NASA's Cassini spacecraft is scheduled to perform the deepest-ever dive through the icy plume of Saturn's moon Enceladus on October 28, 2015. The scientists involved in the project are hoping this dive will provide new insights into the moon's ocean environment, its chemistry, composition and hydrothermal activity.
Cassini spacecraft was launched way back in 1997, and entered Saturn's orbit by 2004. Ever since, it has been gathering data about Saturn's unique ring features, composition and magnetic field. Not long after it settled in Saturn's orbit, the spacecraft discovered Enceladus has a global ocean and that, most likely, hydrothermal activity is lurking underneath its surface.
The spacecraft also discovered other geologic activity unfolding over the icy moon, such as its vivid plume, most likely originating from the ocean below, as well as the water vapor and organic molecules over its south pole.
