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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Dawn Journal: Some Explanations of Orbital Dynamics
The Dawn spacecraft continues to make good progress on its adventure to unlock scientific secrets hidden deep in the main asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter.
Dawn Journal: We Crave Power!!!
Dawn continues its flight through the solar system with all systems functioning well.
Dawn Journal: Cruising Past Mars' Orbit
Now using an ion thruster that had been powered off since October, Dawn continues to make steady progress on its journey deeper into space.
Hayabusa update
JAXA has posted a note on their website on the status of Hayabusa, which apparently reached aphelion in late May. Hayabusa is Japan's amazing ion-powered mission to asteroid Itokawa, which touched down on Itokawa to grab a sample in mid-November 2005, but suffered an injury that has left in doubt its ability to return the sample capsule to Earth.
Dawn Journal: Ion Propulsion
The Dawn mission continues smoothly, as the spacecraft reliably thrusts with its ion propulsion system, demonstrating all the patience of a...well, of an ion-propelled spacecraft!
Dawn Journal: Software Updates
Dawn continues its powered flight, having accumulated more than 100 days of ion thrusting since its launch nearly seven months ago. All systems are healthy as the probe patiently and persistently propels itself through the solar system.
Dawn Journal: One AU from Earth
Dawn is as far from Earth as the Sun.
Dawn Journal: Backup Camera Checks Out
Treating intercalary days just as it does most other days in its interplanetary cruise, today Dawn continues patiently and ever-so-gently reshaping its orbit around the Sun with the delicate yet persistent push from its ion propulsion system.
Dawn Journal: Safely Cruising
Now in interplanetary cruise, the Dawn spacecraft is following a much more leisurely pace than the one it maintained during the initial checkout phase of the mission.
Dawn Journal: Checkout Complete, Interplanetary Cruise Underway
After the remarkably successful initial checkout phase, Dawn is now in the interplanetary cruise phase.
"Return of the Falcon," a new animation of the Hayabusa mission
JAXA has released a 30-minute video of the Hayabusa mission,
Dawn Journal: Halfway Through Checkout
Now more than halfway through its 80-day initial checkout phase, the Dawn spacecraft continues to please its fans in mission control and throughout much of the rest of the universe.
Dawn Journal: Testing, Testing, Testing
Dawn's checkout phase continues to go very well. The spacecraft is healthy as it and Earth travel their separate ways, separating at almost 1 light second per day.
Dawn Journal: Firing Up the Ion Propulsion System
Joining an elite club among spacecraft, Dawn successfully fired up its xenon ion propulsion system on October 6.
Dawn Journal: Launch!
The Dawn project welcomes you to deep space! Dawn is operating smoothly on the fourth day of its eight-year adventure.
Dawn Launch: A Brilliant Flash and a Thunderous Roar!
At 7:34 a.m. EDT the Delta II Heavy roared off launch pad 17 B at Cape Canaveral with a brilliant flash of glowing orange light and billowing white smoke.
Dawn Journal: Awaiting Launch II
The countdown is underway for Dawn's liftoff on September 26 at 7:25:00 am EDT. This is the second time our hero has been within a few days of launch.
Dawn Journal: What to Expect After the Launch III
Now less than two weeks from its planned September 26 launch, Dawn is eagerly awaiting the beginning of its fantastic adventure.
Dawn Journal: Dawn Prepares to Launch II
NASA is preparing (again) to bring Dawn to the Florida skies as all systems are gearing up for a September 26 launch.
Dawn Journal: More Than One Way to Leave the Launch Pad
There are two ways for a spacecraft to leave its launch pad: climbing on a blazing tower of powerful flames accompanied by a thunderous announcement of its departure or suspended securely and gently on the crane that hoisted it there in the first place.