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Dawn

Infographics

Dawn by the Numbers

A look at the Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres—representing some of its impressive achievements numerically.
Dawn Exploring New Worlds - Mission Timeline
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Dawn Mission to Ceres & Vesta

See the path that the Dawn spacecraft has taken.
Dawn Mission Success 2012
Anatomy of an Ion Engine

Dawn's futuristic, hyper-efficient ion propulsion system allows Dawn to go into orbit around two different solar system bodies, a first for any spacecraft.

Related News

NASA approves development of NEO Surveyor for a launch no later than June 2028.

NEO Surveyor Successfully Passes Key Milestone

NEO Surveyor Successfully Passes Key Milestone

NASA announced Friday the agency decided its Psyche mission will go forward, targeting a launch period opening on Oct. 10, 2023.

Psyche Launch Set for October 2023

Psyche Launch Set for October 2023

This page showcases our resources for those interested in learning more about OSIRIS-REx.

OSIRIS-REx Resources

OSIRIS-REx Resources

This page showcases our resources for those interested in learning more about the Lucy Mission.

Lucy Mission Resources

Lucy Mission Resources

While most NASA missions are acronyms, this particular mission took a different path.

Inspiration Links the Beatles, a Fossil and a NASA Mission

Inspiration Links the Beatles, a Fossil and a NASA Mission

Scientists have pieced together the story of how dwarf planet Haumea became one of the most unusual objects in the solar system.

NASA Studies Origins of ‘Weird' Solar System Object: Dwarf Planet Haumea

NASA Studies Origins of ‘Weird' Solar System Object: Dwarf Planet Haumea

DART successfully impacted its asteroid target on Sept. 26, 2022, in NASA's first attempt to move an asteroid in space.

NASA's DART Mission Hits Asteroid in First-Ever Planetary Defense Test

NASA's DART Mission Hits Asteroid in First-Ever Planetary Defense Test

On March 27, 2022, Lucy’s science team discovered that the smallest of the mission’s Trojan asteroid targets, Polymele, has a satellite of its own.

NASA's Lucy Team Discovers Moon Around Asteroid Polymele

NASA's Lucy Team Discovers Moon Around Asteroid Polymele

The path through the solar system is a rocky road. Asteroids, comets, Kuiper Belt Objects—all kinds of small bodies of rock, metal and ice are in constant motion as they orbit the Sun. But what’s the difference between them? Why do these miniature worlds fascinate space explorers so much?

10 Things: What's That Space Rock?

10 Things: What's That Space Rock?

Over 100 participants from 18 countries – including NASA scientists and the agency’s NEOWISE mission – took part in the international exercise.

Planetary Defense Exercise Uses Apophis as Hazardous Asteroid Stand-In

Planetary Defense Exercise Uses Apophis as Hazardous Asteroid Stand-In

NASA's Lucy spacecraft observed the May 15-16, 2022, total lunar eclipse from 64 million miles from the Earth.

NASA's Lucy Mission Observes a Lunar Eclipse

NASA's Lucy Mission Observes a Lunar Eclipse

NASA has extended the planetary science missions of eight of its spacecraft due to their scientific productivity and potential to deepen our knowledge.

Exploration Extended for 8 Planetary Science Missions

Exploration Extended for 8 Planetary Science Missions

Psyche was tested to ensure it can operate in the extreme conditions it will face on its trip to a metal-rich asteroid.

Shake and Bake: NASA's Psyche Is Tested in Spacelike Conditions

Shake and Bake: NASA's Psyche Is Tested in Spacelike Conditions

Asteroid 2022 EB5's discovery marks the fifth time an asteroid has been observed before hitting Earth's atmosphere.

NASA System Predicts Impact of Small Asteroid

NASA System Predicts Impact of Small Asteroid

This February’s calendar has lots of twos. There was 02-02-2022 and now 02-22-2022 – which some people are calling “Twosday.”

10 Things in Space That Come in Twos

10 Things in Space That Come in Twos

NASA-funded ATLAS has reached become the first survey capable of searching the entire dark sky every 24 hours for near-Earth objects.

NASA Asteroid Tracking System Now Capable of Full Sky Search

NASA Asteroid Tracking System Now Capable of Full Sky Search

NEA Scout will visit an asteroid estimated to be smaller than a school bus – the smallest asteroid ever to be studied by a spacecraft.

NASA Solar Sail Mission to Chase Tiny Asteroid After Artemis I Launch

NASA Solar Sail Mission to Chase Tiny Asteroid After Artemis I Launch

Just two weeks after launch, NASA’s DART spacecraft opened its “eye” and returned its first images from space.

With Its Single "Eye," NASA's DART Returns First Images from Space

With Its Single "Eye," NASA's DART Returns First Images from Space

Launching in August 2022 and arriving at the asteroid belt in 2026, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will orbit a world we can barely pinpoint from Earth.

How NASA's Psyche Mission Will Explore an Unexplored World

How NASA's Psyche Mission Will Explore an Unexplored World

Learn more about the growing population of near-Earth objects with NASA’s new 3D real-time web-based application.

NASA's ‘Eyes on Asteroids' Reveals Our Near-Earth Object Neighborhood

NASA's ‘Eyes on Asteroids' Reveals Our Near-Earth Object Neighborhood

The new system improves NASA's capabilities to assess the impact risk of asteroids that can come close to our planet.

NASA's Next-Generation Asteroid Impact Monitoring System Goes Online

NASA's Next-Generation Asteroid Impact Monitoring System Goes Online

NASA received 23 millimeter-sized grains and 4 containers of even finer material from Ryugu – 10% of the total collected – from JAXA,

NASA Receives Special Cosmic Delivery of Asteroid Sample from Japan

NASA Receives Special Cosmic Delivery of Asteroid Sample from Japan

NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) launched at 1:21 a.m. ET on Nov. 24, 2021, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

NASA, SpaceX Launch DART: First Test Mission to Defend Planet Earth

NASA, SpaceX Launch DART: First Test Mission to Defend Planet Earth

DART is the first mission that will demonstrate asteroid deflection by changing an asteroid’s motion in space through kinetic impact.

An Overview of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART)

An Overview of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART)

DART team members have filled the spacecraft with fuel, and are running rehearsals as they approach launch on Nov. 23, 2021.

NASA's DART Prepares for Launch in First Planetary Defense Test Mission

NASA's DART Prepares for Launch in First Planetary Defense Test Mission