Dawn (spacecraft) - Wikipedia
WEBDawn is a retired space probe that was launched by NASA in September 2007 with the mission of studying two of the three known protoplanets of the asteroid belt: Vesta and Ceres. [1] In the fulfillment of that mission—the ninth in NASA's Discovery Program — Dawn entered orbit around Vesta on July 16, 2011, and completed a 14-month survey ...
Dawn - NASA Science
WEBSep 27, 2007 · Dawn was NASA’s first truly interplanetary spaceship. The mission featured extended stays at two very different extraterrestrial bodies: giant asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres. Both small worlds reside in the debris-strewn main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Occurred 6 years ago.
Dawn - Asteroid & Comet Missions - NASA Jet Propulsion …
WEBSep 27, 2007 · By studying these two giant remnants from the epoch of planet formation, Dawn will provide scientists with new knowledge of how the solar system formed and evolved. Thanks to its ion propulsion system, Dawn is the only spacecraft ever to have the capability to orbit two extraterrestrial destinations.
10 Things to Know about Dawn - NASA Solar System Exploration
WEBJul 16, 2018 · Dawn is the only mission to orbit two deep-space destinations. Enabled by the exceptional efficiency of ion propulsion, Dawn became the first spacecraft to orbit two deep-space bodies. This is an exciting engineering feat, demonstrating the feasibility of multi-world exploration.
Overview - NASA Science
WEBDawn. One Mission, Two Remarkable Destinations. Dawn was a remarkable journey in both space and time, NASA’s first truly interplanetary spaceship. The mission featured extended stays at two very different extraterrestrial bodies: …
NASA’s Dawn Mission to Asteroid Belt Comes to End - NASA
WEBNov 1, 2018 · NASA’s Dawn spacecraft turned science fiction into science fact by using ion propulsion to explore the two largest bodies in the main asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres. The mission will end this fall, when the spacecraft runs out of hydrazine, which keeps it oriented and in communication with Earth.
Spacecraft - NASA Science
WEBSpacecraft. As a Discovery Program mission, Dawn combined innovative state-of-the-art technologies pioneered by other recent missions with off-the-shelf components and, in some cases, spare parts and instrumentation left over from previous missions. Structure. A labeled diagram of the Dawn spaccraft.
Overview | Dawn – NASA Solar System Exploration
WEBDawn launched in 2007 on a journey that put about 4.3 billion miles (6.9 billion kilometers) on its odometer. Propelled by ion engines, the spacecraft achieved many firsts until its extended mission concluded on Oct. 31, 2018.
Dawn Completes Primary Mission - NASA Jet Propulsion …
WEBOn June 30, just in time for the global celebration known as Asteroid Day, NASA's Dawn spacecraft completes its primary mission. The mission exceeded all expectations originally set for its exploration of protoplanet Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres.
How Dawn Works - NASA Solar System Exploration
WEBAug 21, 2018 · Let’s explore how the Dawn spacecraft and instruments work to return such insightful data about Vesta and Ceres. (You also can find more detailed information about Dawn’s spacecraft and instruments in the Dawn Journal or elsewhere.) Dawn flies using an ion propulsion system.