[meteorite-list] Dawn Heads Toward Final Orbit

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4751

Dawn Heads Toward Final Orbit
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
October 26, 2015

Dawn Mission Status Report

NASA's Dawn spacecraft fired up its ion engine on Friday, Oct. 23, to 
begin its journey toward its fourth and final science orbit at dwarf planet 
Ceres. The spacecraft completed two months of observations from an altitude 
of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers) and transmitted extensive imagery and 
other data to Earth.

The spacecraft is now on its way to the final orbit of the mission, called 
the low-altitude mapping orbit. Dawn will spend more than seven weeks 
descending to this vantage point, which will be less than 235 miles (380 
kilometers) from the surface of Ceres. In mid-December, Dawn will begin 
taking observations from this orbit, including images at a resolution 
of 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel.

Of particular interest to the Dawn team is Occator crater, home to Ceres' 
bright spots. A new mosaic of images from Dawn's third science orbit highlights 
the crater and surrounding terrain.

More information on the Dawn mission is online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/dawn

http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov


Media Contact

Elizabeth Landau
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6425
Elizabeth.Landau at jpl.nasa.gov 

2015-329