The Cassini orbiter was a spacecraft launched by NASA in 1997 to study the planet Saturn and its moons. It entered orbit around Saturn in 2004 and provided valuable data about the planet's atmosphere, rings, and numerous moons, including Titan, which has a thick atmosphere and liquid lakes. The mission lasted over 13 years, during which Cassini sent back thousands of images and scientific measurements. It helped scientists understand Saturn's complex system and contributed to discoveries about its moons, including the potential for life on Enceladus. The mission concluded in 2017 when Cassini was deliberately plunged into Saturn's atmosphere to avoid contaminating its moons.