The flyby will occur at 8:28 p.m. PT/11:28 p.m. ET and may be visible in the eastern South Pacific Ocean area including Easter Island and Pitcairn Islands.

The craft will come as close as 725 miles from the Earth the closest since launch in 1997.

The mission was one of the most controversial programs in the space program. The Cassini carries 72-pounds of plutonium for batteries powering the craft. Critics feared an accident at launch would scatter plutonium dust over Central Florida.

The craft will make observations during the flyby including studying the Earths magnetic field and visual images of the Moon.

Following the flyby near Earth, Cassini flys toward Jupiter enroute to a rendezvous with Saturn in 2004.