Abstract On 16 July 2011, after completing nearly four years of interplanetary flight, Dawn entered orbit around (4) Vesta, the second most massive body in the main asteroid belt. Dawn used solar electric propulsion to spiral to six different orbits to accomplish its science campaign. Although the transfers to progressively lower orbits presented significant challenges, all were executed smoothly. During its nearly 14 months in orbit, Dawn spiraled down to 210km above the surface and back up before initiating the gradual departure to travel to dwarf planet (1) Ceres for a 2015 rendezvous. Dawn′s exploration of Vesta has shown it to be geologically complex and fascinating, resembling terrestrial planets more than typical asteroids. Among the principal features is a 500-km-diameter impact basin within which is the second tallest mountain known in the solar system. This paper presents Dawn′s operations at Vesta and summarizes the principal findings.

    Highlights Dawn orbited Vesta for 14 months in 2011–2012. The spacecraft flew to six different orbits to optimize science observations. The mission would have been impossible without the use of solar electric propulsion. Following its successful mission at Vesta, Dawn departed for dwarf planet Ceres.


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    Titel :

    Dawn′s exploration of Vesta


    Beteiligte:
    Rayman, Marc D. (Autor:in) / Mase, Robert A. (Autor:in)

    Erschienen in:

    Acta Astronautica ; 94 , 1 ; 159-167


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    2013-08-09


    Format / Umfang :

    9 pages




    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch




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