NASA's Cassini Grand Finale coverage lands Emmy nomination

NASA's coverage of the Cassini mission's final crash into Saturn, including news, web, education, television and social media efforts, has been nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Original Interactive Program category.

In 2017, after nearly 20 years in space and 13 years revealing the wonders of Saturn, NASA's Cassini orbiter was running out of fuel.

As a final act, Cassini began a whole new mission - its Grand Finale. This journey into the unknown ended with a spectacular plunge into the planet.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the US created a multi-month digital campaign to celebrate the mission's science and engineering accomplishments and communicate why the spacecraft must meet its end in the skies of Saturn.

 

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences nominated JPL for its coverage of the Cassini mission's Grand Finale.

Cassini's first, daring dive into the unexplored space between the giant planet and its rings kicked off the campaign on April 26 last year.

It culminated on September 15, with live coverage of Cassini's plunge into Saturn's atmosphere, with the spacecraft sending back science to the very last second.

The multi-faceted campaign included regular updates on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and the Cassini mission website, as well as live web and TV broadcasts during which reporter and public questions were answered.

A dramatic short film to communicate the mission's story and preview its endgame and multiple 360-degree videos, including NASA's first 360-degree livestream of a mission event from inside JPL mission control were also part of the campaign.

A steady drumbeat of articles kept fans updated with news and features about the people behind the mission

The Primetime Emmys will be awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles on September 17.

The Creative Arts Emmys, which includes interactive awards, will be presented during a separate ceremony on September 15 in Los Angeles.