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Mission Objectives
Background
Dawn Dictionary
FAQs
Mission Status
Overview
Schedule
Spacecraft
Mission milestones
Trajectory
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Mission
Objectives
The top
level question
that the
mission
addresses
is the
role of
size and
water in
determining
the evolution
of the
planets.
Ceres and
Vesta are
the right
two bodies
with which
to address
this question,
as they
are the
most massive
of the
protoplanets,
baby planets
whose growth
was interrupted
by the
formation
of Jupiter.
Ceres is
very primitive
and wet
while Vesta
is evolved
and dry.
The instrumentation
to be flown
is complete,
flight-
proven
and similar
to that
used for
Mercury,
Mars, the
Moon, Eros
and comets.
The science
team consists
of leading
experts
in the
investigation
of the
rocky and
icy planets
using proven
measurement
and analysis
techniques.
Dawn
has the
potential
for making
many paradigm-shifting
discoveries.
Ceres may
have active
hydrological
processes
leading
to seasonal
polar caps
of water
frost,
altering
our understanding
of the
interior
of these
bodies.
Vesta may
have rocks
more strongly
magnetized
than on
Mars, altering
our ideas
of how
and when
dynamos
arise with
important
lessons
for Mars,
Earth and
Mercury.
Ceres may
have a
thin, permanent
atmosphere
distinguishing
it from
the other
minor planets.
The three
principal
scientific
drivers
for the
mission
are first
that it
captures
the earliest
moments
in the
origin
of the
solar system
enabling
us to understand
the conditions
under which
these objects
formed.
Second,
Dawn determines
the nature
of the
building
blocks
from which
the terrestrial
planets
formed,
improving
our understanding
of this
formation.
Finally,
it contrasts
the formation
and evolution
of two
small planets
that followed
very different
evolutionary
paths so
that we
understand
what controls
that evolution.
This mission
is very
timely.
Its journey
in time
to understand
the conditions
at the
formation
of the
solar system
provides
context
for the
understanding
of the
observation
of extra
solar-planetary
systems.
It provides
data on
the role
of size
and water
in planetary
evolution
and forms
a bridge
between
the exploration
of the
rocky inner
solar system
and the
icy outer
solar system.
Finally,
it completes
the first
order exploration
of the
inner solar
system,
addresses
NASA's
goal of
understanding
the origin
and evolution
of the
solar system
and complements
ongoing
investigations
of Mercury,
Earth and
Mars.
+ See published article on description of mission
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accountability report