Science fiction looks to our future in the universe this week on planetary radio.

Welcome, I'm Matt Kaplan of the the Planetary Society, with more of a human adventure across our solar system and way beyond.

Settle in for a magnificent conversation among four of the greatest writers of speculative fiction.

Gregory Benford, David Brin, Jeffrey Landis, and Larry Ringworld Niven

are about to take us to humanity's destiny and beyond. Their host was Robert Zubrin of the Mars Society

and you won't find this conversation anywhere other than the Mars Society's website and

right here. Bruce Betts also comes round with Cassini and more Cassini.

First though, a look toward the end of Cassini, the mission,

through the eyes of our senior editor Emily Loch Duwala.

Emily, great to have you back on this big week.

We are speaking at the beginning of the week with apologies to

listeners who hear this show after the Cassini Grand finale play along with us as if

it hasn't happened yet. You've written this blog entry dated September 11 at

planetary.org what to expect during Cassini's final hours.

Okay, give us the overview.

What's going to happen?

Well, as we speak right now, Cassini is feeling the final touch of Titans gravity which is what's

sending it on to its collision course with Saturn. We're talking on Monday

evening later on this evening, Cassini will reach its final apoaps, the last time it gets at the farthest point

from Saturn on its orbit, and it's going to spend most of the week just free falling towards Saturn.

And that'll be the end of it on Friday.

Between now and then they'll be transmitting back all of the data acquired on this

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