The space agency announced the extension Tuesday. Since 2004, the unmanned probe has beamed back about 140,000 images. Its prime mission is slated to end in July.

The agency says the $160 million extension will allow Cassini to make 60 more revolutions around the ringed planet and fly by its largest moon, Titan, and four other satellites.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is funded by NASA and the European and Italian space agencies. Its original cost was $3.3 billion including $2.6 billion from the United States.