Overview | Cassini – NASA Solar System Exploration (2024)

"Cassini is such a fantastic mission. It not only acquired a wealth of data that led to numerous discoveries, but also raised a new generation of planetary scientists, including myself."

I think making tons of money is overrated if you're not actively psyched about what you get to do all day. Passion drives me, it fuels me, and it's what matters most to me.

"Be curious about everything -- take every opportunity that presents itself to learn new things."

"Study hard and do what you love, then it doesn't feel like work."

"The most exciting moments are the 'aha moments' when a scientific problem that you've been wrestling with suddenly falls into place and begins to make sense."

"The Ranger missions looked a lot more exciting to me than what I was doing at the time, and so I sent my resume off to JPL. I've been here ever since."

"His spirit will continue to inspire us as we continue our quest to understand the Universe."

"Science and math are part natural gifts and part practice. You don't have to be a genius to be successful."

Ask lots of questions. Be persistent. And never stop exploring your options.

“It’s hard to say no when interesting things come up.”

"There will be times when you don't think you are doing the right thing, but don't make any hasty decisions. Just hang on in there."

"STEM is, by far, the coolest field to get into. We fly spacecraft around other planets; how much better can it get?"

"Because I took such a non-traditional path, I hope to serve as an example to others who may feel that they are too old to go after their dreams."

"My first personal connection with outer space occurred during the arrival of Voyager 2 at Neptune."

"I’m project manager for NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter, and I also work on the NEOWISE project."

No human had ever seen this landscape before. And for a period of maybe 20 minutes, half hour, we were the only ones to see this alien world.

I'm really excited to be a part of the spacecraft that will be learning about a place where scientists think there could be some form of life.

"Stay close to subjects that fascinate you personally, but also ask why is the subject important."

"Believe in yourself fully and unconditionally so that when an opportunity presents itself, you never hesitate to take it."

Just because it isn't always easy doesn't mean you can't do it and do it well.

"When I was a little girl Sputnik was launched, and I was instantly drawn into the whole miracle of spaceflight and exploring the cosmos."

"To be able now to work on projects that are flying to the planets has been really a dream."

Having a dream is a must. Having a plan is an excellent idea, but you also have to be willing to jump at unexpected opportunities.

"Science and math are fascinating and fundamental. They require as much discipline as an athlete working to be a football player, or a musician attempting to land a recording contract."

"I'm an explorer at heart. I love to explore new worlds, whether in our solar system, or here on Earth."

Study lots of math. Math is the language of science.

I never had this overwhelming fascination with space — rather, I just slowly gravitated toward it.

"The great thing about being at NASA is that there are jobs for all types—whether it's engineering, science, finance, communication, law."

"Sometimes you have to tackle a problem from many different ways to understand it and you should never be afraid to ask for help."

"Passion and tenacity, coupled with patience and humor. All will serve you well regardless of what you do."

"The wonderful part of working at JPL is that perfection isn't expected; however, progression is expected."

Most of my heroes have succeeded against the odds in some way.