Deep Space 1:
Goals: Deep Space 1 was an engineering test flight for a dozen new technologies, including highly-efficient ion engines and autonomous navigation software. Asteroid 9969 Braille was selected as the mission's science target. It's mission was extended twice to include an encounter with comet Borrelly and furhter engineering testing.

Accomplishments: All 12 technology tests were successful. Deep Space 1 is credited with proving the effectiveness of ion engines for long-duration spaceflight and advancing the field of spacecraft navigation. The spacecraft contributed to asteroid science by finding intriguing similarities between Braille and Vesta. It also returnied valuable science data during its bonus flyby of comet Borrelly during and extended mission.

Read More About Deep Space 1

24 Oct 1998:  Launch (08:08 EDT) 29 Jul 1999:  Asteroid 9969 Braille Flyby (04:46 UT) 22 Sep 2001:  Comet Borrelly Flyby Status:  Successful Show All Dates for DS1		30 Jul 2003:  Ion Engine: No Tuneups, No Problems 26 Mar 2003:  Deep Space 1 Team Wins Award 9 Oct 2002:  Comets: Complex Worlds More Headlines
On its way to comet Borrelly, Deep Space 1 set a record at the time for the longest operating time on a spacecraft engine. (An ion engine similar to DS1's is shown at right.) Deep Space 1 was dubbed "the little spacecraft that could" after completing a comet encounter without the use of a star tracker. Because of Deep Space 1's technology testing, many future missions that would have been unaffordable or even impossible now are feasible.		Solar System Bodies: Asteroids DS1 Multimedia Gallery NSSDC Master Catalog: Deep Space 1 Dr. Marc Rayman's Farewell to DS1 Deep Space 1's Original Website