Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tech & Science

Dawn spacecraft homes in on dwarf planet

The spacecraft Dawn was launched in 2007. The Dawn mission was designed to study two large bodies in the asteroid belt in order to answer questions about the formation of the Solar System, as well as to test the feasibility of its ion drive (a form of electric propulsion.) The spacecraft uses ion propulsion to traverse space far more efficiently than if it used chemical propulsion. Dawn was built, for NASA, by the Orbital Sciences Corporation.

Dawn carries three key items of equipment: visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer. These items are used to collect data and to send electronic signals back to NASA.

The spacecraft previously visited the protoplanet Vesta, remaining in orbit for some 14 months before departing during 2012. Vesta is one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System, with a mean diameter of 326 miles. Vesta is also the brightest asteroid visible from Earth. Researchers continue to examine data collected by Dawn for additional insights into the formation and history of Vesta.

The Dawn spacecraft is currently 400,000 miles from Ceres, closing in at a rate of 450 miles per hour. Ceres is located in the asteroid belt, which falls between Mars and Jupiter.

Ceres is a small planet about the size of Texas. The planet has not previously been visited by a spacecraft. It is defined as a dwarf planet that is an object the size of a planet (a planetary-mass object) that is neither a planet nor a natural satellite. The diameter of the planet is 590 miles.

The reason that astrophysics are excited is because much about Ceres is a mystery. Ceres has no meteorites linked to it to help reveal its secrets. All that is known is that Ceres has a thick ice mantle and may even have an ocean beneath its icy crust. It is thought that Ceres contains a third of the mass of the asteroid belt. With the ice, the presence of water ice has led to speculation that life may exist there. Possibly Dawn will provide an answer one way or the other.

Avatar photo
Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

You may also like:

World

Immigration is a symptom of a much deeper worldwide problem.

Business

Saudi Aramco President & CEO Amin Nasser speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas - Copyright AFP Mark FelixPointing to the still...

Business

Traveling in NY is already costly, but it just got worse: transit authorities have approved a controversial $15 toll, set to take effect in...

Entertainment

The Swedish city of Malmo is preparing to host the Eurovision Song Contest in early May under high security.