Jul 15, 2007 · For more than a year, Dawn had been planning for a launch between June 20 and July 10. As is well known to readers of these logs in galaxies of all shapes, Dawn’s ion …

Jun 23, 2007 · Now only two weeks away from its planned launch, Dawn is eagerly awaiting the beginning of its cosmic adventure. Once the xenon and hydrazine propellants were loaded, as …

Mar 1, 2013 · The indefatigable Dawn spacecraft is continuing to forge through the main asteroid belt, gently thrusting with its ion propulsion system. As it gradually changes its orbit around the …

Jun 2, 2007 · The next time the arrays are opened will be when Dawn is in space, where its 11,480 solar cells will provide the spacecraft with electrical power. A battery will power the …

Dec 1, 2012 · Mission controllers have made some changes to Dawn's operating profile in order to conserve its supply of a conventional rocket propellant known as hydrazine. Firing it through …

Sep 21, 2007 · During their shared flight, the rocket is in control. Following separation from its conveyance to space, Dawn has three primary objectives: 1) get sunlight on its solar arrays, 2) …

Mar 29, 2013 · Thanks to the extraordinary capability of ion propulsion, Dawn was able to spend 14 months orbiting Vesta, observing dramatic landscapes and exotic features and collecting a …

Jul 18, 2011 · Shortly after it left Cape Canaveral atop a fiery rocket, the spacecraft spent about 45 minutes in Earth orbit, waiting for the proper orbital alignment to begin its ambitious deep …

Dec 18, 2007 · Dawn is climbing away from the Sun on a blue-green pillar of xenon ions as it begins a new chapter in its mission. After the remarkably successful initial checkout phase, the …

Sep 17, 2006 · There is only about three quarters of a revolution remaining around the Sun before Dawn leaves Earth to travel on its own to distant worlds. Meanwhile, the project team …