Silent Running
That is why the FX guy for 2001, Douglas Trumbull, had Saturn for
his destination in the 1972 film Silent Running.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Running
Though I don't think such a relatively delicate spaceship such as
the Valley Forge would have survived going through the planet's
rings as it did, which they depicted as almost a heavy mist. The
ring "particles" can be as big as houses and even small mountains
in some cases.
And yes, by 1970 they had a good idea how big Saturn's ring
particles were. Radar studies showed they averaged about one
yard across. That would have put a few holes in those big domes.