Dawn is a space probe launched bi NASA in September 2007 wi the mission o studyin twa o the three kent protoplanets o the asteroid belt, Vesta an Ceres. It is currently in orbit aboot its seicont tairget, the dwarf planet Ceres. Dawn is the first spacecraft tae orbit twa extraterrestrial bouks,[6] the first spacecraft tae veesit either Vesta or Ceres, an an aa the first tae visit a dwarf planet, arrivin at Ceres in Mairch 2015, a few months afore New Horizons flew by Pluto in Julie 2015.
Quick facts Mission teep, Operator ...
Dawn Airtist's renderin o the Dawn spacecraft. |
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| Mission teep | Multi-target orbiter |
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| Operator | NASA |
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| COSPAR ID | 2007-043A |
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| SATCAT no. | 32249 |
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| Wabsteix | NASA
NASA JPL |
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| Mission duration | ~9 years[1] |
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| Spacecraft properties |
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| Manufacturer | Orbital Sciences · JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) · UCLA (Varsity o Californie, Los Angeles) |
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| BOL mass | 1,240 kg (2,730 lb) (wet)[2] |
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| Pouer | 1300 W (Solar array) at 3 AU[2] |
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| Stairt o mission |
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| Launch date | 27 September 2007 (2007-09-27) 11:34:00 UTC[3]
(17 years, 10 months and 7 days ago) |
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| Rocket | Delta II 7925H |
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| Launch steid | Cape Canaveral SLC-17B |
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| Fleebi o Mars (Gravity assist) |
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| Closest approach | 17 Februar 2009 (2009-02-17)
(16 years, 5 months and 17 days ago) |
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| Distance | 549 km (341 mi) |
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| 4 Vesta orbiter |
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| Orbital insertion | 16 Julie 2011 (2011-07-16) 04:47 UTC[4]
(14 years and 18 days ago) |
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| Departit orbit | 5 September 2012 (2012-09-05)
(12 years, 10 months and 29 days ago) |
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| 1 Ceres orbiter |
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| Orbital insertion | 6 Mairch 2015 (2015-03-06)[5] |
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Dawn mission patch
Discovery program |
Close
Dawn entered Vesta orbit on Julie 16, 2011, an completit a 14-month survey mission afore leavin for Ceres in late 2012.[7][8]
