Wake me up when it's over please somebody. 'death plunge' gimme a break!! How can any adult with a normal IQ fall for this abject nonsense? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41222282
By understanding the concept of an "end of life" scenario. The spacecraft was "Alive" or functional for years of valuable and useful data gathering and is well thought of by those who enjoy scientific exploration and knowledge expansion. As radiation and the rigors of space have degraded this beautiful instrument platform it will take on one final task for us as it plunges into the planet, gathering data the whole way. You may have no interest or curiosity, but many of more intellectually expansive mindset most certainly do.
God I needed a good belly laugh and I sure got it with that one! But hey, I fully take your point there are those who, for whatever reason, have an interest in this sort of stuff. I just don't understand why, is all. I've just had another thought - I admit to having a kind of sneaking admiration for those with the vivid imagination to conjure up these melodramatic images. I expect the 'scientist' who conjured up that one got a nice little bonus at the end of the month?
I can tell you for me, I get excited to learn about distant places.... Especially if I'll never, ever get a chance to travel to them. Well, that & Dr. Who, Lost in Space, Star Trek, ET al... (see what I did thar? )
Fine - nowt wrong with a bit of fantasy to counter the humdrum progress of daily life. You'll have to excuse me now - I have to phone home!! (yes, I saw what you did!!)
It is highly likely this headline was certainly not coined by the scientists involved in operating, constructing, or studying the data fruit of this spacecraft...though I'm sure a few thought it as they programmed the plunge. Perhaps you confuse a journalist with an engineer or astrophysicist. I am pleased to have provided you with a good laugh, but a more logical reaction might have been reflection and realization of limited intellectual curiosity. Nevertheless, you are certainly not required to "Like" space exploration or education, but there is no need to debase those who do.
I've told you before, I don't mean to 'debase' nor insult anybody, merely to enlighten them with the actualité, and cause them to have a different perspective. To probe and to challenge and to question what they are told??
I see....so making fun of the destruction of a beloved spacecraft because of a headline and minimizing the lifelong work and effort to achieve incredible science is not meant to debase...Got it.
No, I'm making fun of the child-like hype attached to it. Not that I believe for one moment the existence of this 'Cassini', never mind that the 'death plunge' means it's going . . . means that it's going to . . . means that it's going . . . to die!!
