Space & Astronomy

Dawn probe arrives in orbit around Ceres

By T.K. Randall
March 7, 2015

Image: Rendering of the Dwarf Planet Ceres
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA / (PD) After a journey that has spanned more than 7 years and a distance of over 3.1 billion miles, NASA's Dawn spacecraft has at last reached its final destination - the dwarf planet Ceres.

The mission, which is the first ever to see a spacecraft orbit two separate worlds, was made possible by Dawn's three ion engines, a method of propulsion that uses a fraction of the fuel of the conventional chemical rockets used by most other spacecraft.Dawn will now begin its task of studying Ceres up close while attempting to unravel its mysteries including that of the two unexplained bright spots it picked up during its approach.

"Studying Ceres allows us to do historical research in space, opening a window into the earliest chapter in the history of our solar system," said NASA planetary sciences director Jim Green.

"Data returned from Dawn could contribute significant breakthroughs in our understanding of how the solar system formed."

Source: The Guardian

Tags: Ceres, Dawn