Space & Astronomy
July 17, 2011 ·
4 comments
Image Credit: NASA
Source: NASA.gov | Comments (4)
Dawn spacecraft enters orbit around asteroid
By T.K. RandallJuly 17, 2011 ·
4 comments
Image Credit: NASA
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has become the first probe ever to orbit an object in the asteroid belt.
The spacecraft will stay in orbit around Vesta for a year before moving on to visit the dwarf planet Ceres. "Today, we celebrate an incredible exploration milestone as a spacecraft enters orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt for the first time," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "Dawn's study of the asteroid Vesta marks a major scientific accomplishment and also points the way to the future destinations where people will travel in the coming years. President Obama has directed NASA to send astronauts to an asteroid by 2025, and Dawn is gathering crucial data that will inform that mission."Dawn will study the asteroid, named Vesta, for a year before departing for a second destination, a dwarf planet named Ceres, in July 2012. Observations will provide unprecedented data to help scientists understand the earliest chapter of our solar system. The data also will help pave the way for future human space missions.
Source: NASA.gov | Comments (4)
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