Dawn Spacecraft Successfully Launched 27th September 07
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Dawn spacecraft began its 3 billion kilometer (1.7 billion mile) journey through the inner solar system to study a pair of asteroids Thursday at 7:34 a.m. Eastern Time (4:34 a.m. Pacific Time).
The Delta 2 rocket, fitted with nine strap-on solid-fuel boosters, safely climbed away from the Florida coastline and launch complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. "We have our time machine up and flying," said Dawn Principal Investigator Christopher Russell of the University of California, Los Angeles.
The Dawn mission is achieving a first in space exploration, exploring not one but two distinct destinations in the main asteroid belt, hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. Giant asteroid Vesta was confirmed to be a dynamic terrestrial world, much like members of the inner solar system. Dwarf planet Ceres, larger yet less dense and with a confirmed presence of water vapor in its thin atmosphere, is hypothesized to be an icy body, reminiscent of members of the outer solar system. We will know far more when the mission arrives in late spring 2015 and begins its five month orbit Ceres.
By using the same set of instruments at two separate destinations, scientists can more accurately formulate comparisons and contrasts. Dawn's science instrument suite will measure shape, surface topography and tectonic history, elemental and mineral composition as well as seek out water-bearing minerals.
http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov
