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2 - Exploring Vesta and Ceres

from Part I - Remote Observations and Exploration of Main Belt Asteroids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

By
Christopher T. Russell  and
Marc D. Rayman
Edited by
Simone Marchi ,
Carol A. Raymond  and
Christopher T. Russell
Simone Marchi
Affiliation:
Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado
Carol A. Raymond
Affiliation:
California Institute of Technology
Christopher T. Russell
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
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Summary

In 1992, NASA’s planetary efforts were invigorated with the launch of the Discovery Program of principal investigator-led missions. Over the next eight years, a group of planetary scientists and engineers gathered regularly to design and propose to NASA solar-electric propulsion missions targeted to various scientifically important bodies. Ultimately, Dawn, a mission to orbit and explore both Vesta and Ceres, was selected for flight in 2001. It launched in 2007, arrived at Vesta in July 2011, and departed in September 2012 for Ceres. Arrival at Ceres occurred in March 2015, where Dawn operated productively until 31 October 2018, when it exhausted its attitude control propellant. Herein, we summarize the history of Dawn and recount the observations and discoveries made by this pioneering mission.

Keywords

AsteroidsAsteroid beltCeresCratersDawn missionMeteoritesSolar electric propulsionSolar System evolutionVestaXenon propellant
Type
Chapter
Information
Vesta and Ceres
Insights from the Dawn Mission for the Origin of the Solar System
 , pp. 26 - 38
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

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