Dawn spacecraft begins approach to asteroid Vesta
Posted: Thu, May 12, 2011, 7:32 AM ET (1132 GMT)
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned its first image of the asteroid Vesta as it begins its approach to the large asteroid, the space agency announced Wednesday. The image was taken May 3 when the spacecraft was 1.21 million kilometers from the main belt asteroid. Dawn is scheduled to enter orbit around Vesta on July 16, nearly four years after launch. The spacecraft, propelled by ion thrusters, will remain in orbit around Vesta for a year before leaving to go to the largest main belt asteroid, Ceres, arriving in 2015.
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned its first image of the asteroid Vesta as it begins its approach to the large asteroid, the space agency announced Wednesday. The image was taken May 3 when the spacecraft was 1.21 million kilometers from the main belt asteroid. Dawn is scheduled to enter orbit around Vesta on July 16, nearly four years after launch. The spacecraft, propelled by ion thrusters, will remain in orbit around Vesta for a year before leaving to go to the largest main belt asteroid, Ceres, arriving in 2015.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Report outlines cost growth in canceled NASA exploration programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:14 AM ET (1514 GMT) Perseverance Mars rover finds more potential biosignatures
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:12 AM ET (1512 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, July 2
President Meloni receives ESA astronaut Parmitano
Government of Italy — 3:05 am ET (0705 GMT) China-Europe Earth observation cooperation moves toward greater complementarity: ESA official
Xinhua — 3:04 am ET (0704 GMT) Launch Date Confirmed for Seven GRUS-3 Earth Observation Microsatellites
Axelspace — 3:03 am ET (0703 GMT) Blue Origin Doubles Down On Return To Flight This Year
Aviation Week — 3:00 am ET (0700 GMT) The SpaceX IPO tells one story. Here is the more important one.
Space News — 2:58 am ET (0658 GMT) |
