Going over 32,000 miles per hour, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft passed by one of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus, at approximately 30 miles above the surface at its closest approach, in a mission to collect samples of water-ice, dust and gas particles from the plumes of the erupting geysers at the moon’s South Pole.

Scientists have been interested in studying the geysers in the hope that they might discover a source of water or maybe even an ocean on the Saturnian moon. Before the flyby actually took place, NASA scientists declared themselves to be ready for discoveries that could revolutionize their knowledge so far about what lies on Enceladus.

Cassini went through the edge of the plume at a pre-established distance of 200 kilometers (120 miles), close enough to collect samples from the plume, but at the same time, at a safe distance that posed no threat to the spaceship.      

NASA researchers will attempt to find a connection between the source of the geysers, which still remains a mystery, and the possibility of that source to be connected to one of Saturn’s rings. The ship already started sending data to Earth, an we could expect a preliminary report as early as Thursday.

The element scientists are trying so hard to uncover is not limited only to the Saturnian moon, but rather to all the planets in the Solar System: liquid water. The consequences of making such an amazing discovery would be huge, as liquid water could mean favorable conditions for life organisms to develop.

The composition of the plume, which according to initial assumptions contains pure water-ice and water-ice mixed with other particles, could lead to the existence of a hot liquid water source beneath the surface, which will not automatically support life theory, but it will certainly open new possibilities.

Image credits: NASA