[meteorite-list] Dawn Spacecraft Successfully Launched

[Ron Baalke]

Sept. 27, 2007

Dwayne Brown 
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
RELEASE: 07-212

DAWN SPACECRAFT SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Dawn spacecraft began its 1.7 billion 
mile journey through the inner solar system to study a pair of 
asteroids Thursday at 7:34 a.m. EDT.

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. 

Dawn is scheduled to begin its exploration of Vesta in 2011 and Ceres 
in 2015. The two icons of the asteroid belt are located in orbit 
between Mars and Jupiter and have been witness to so much of our 
solar system's history. 

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. 

A critical milestone for the spacecraft comes in is acquiring its 
signal. The launch team expects that to occur in approximately 2-3 
hours. 

For the latest information about Dawn and its mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/dawn

	
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