What was a main goal of the Dawn mission?
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 performance of its ion thrusters in deep space.
What was the Dawn mission investigating?
Mission: Dawn | Experiment: Framing Camera The NASA mission aimed at investigating the formation and evolution of these bodies to find clues to the solar system’s early history.
What are NASA objectives?
NASA’s historic and enduring purpose is aligned to four major strategic goals: Expand human knowledge through new scientific discoveries. Extend human presence deeper into space and to the Moon for sustainable long-term exploration and utilization. Address national challenges and catalyze economic growth.
Is Dawn still active?
Dawn is continuing to operate flawlessly in its final orbit of the mission, dipping down to about 22 miles (35 kilometers) above dwarf planet Ceres every 27 hours. Recent Dawn Journals explain more about this elliptical orbit and how the spacecraft operates in it.
What are the 3 criteria of a planet?
So, the three criteria of the IAU for a full-sized planet are:
- It is in orbit around the Sun.
- It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape).
- It has “cleared the neighborhood” around its orbit.
What is NASA strategy?
NASA’s Vision leads to a future with an American-made launch capability supporting cutting-edge science, technology, and human exploration with strong technology and aeronautics programs. We will continue to push the frontier of space. We will develop new technologies for use in air, space, and on the ground.
What is NASA and what is its purpose?
NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA is a U.S. government agency that is responsible for science and technology related to air and space. The Space Age started in 1957 with the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik.
What were two goals of the Discovery Program?
Its science goals were to provide the first images of the entire planet and collect detailed information on the composition and structure of Mercury’s crust, its geologic history, the nature of its thin atmosphere and active magnetosphere, and the makeup of its core and polar materials.
What was the Discovery mission?
Discovery (OV-103) was NASA’s third space shuttle orbiter to join the fleet, arriving for the first time at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in November 1983. After checkout and processing, it was launched on Aug. 30, 1984, for its first mission, 41-D, to deploy three communications satellites.
Was the Dawn mission successful?
Dawn launched in 2007 on a journey that put about 4.3 billion miles (6.9 billion kilometers) on its odometer. Propelled by ion engines, the spacecraft achieved many firsts until its extended mission concluded on Oct. 31, 2018.