Spacecraft
Background
Dawn Dictionary
FAQs
Ion Propulsion
Mission Status
Objectives
Overview
Timeline
Mission milestones
Trajectory

Key Spacecraft Characteristics:

• Extensive redundancy using flight-proven assemblies from other Orbital and JPL spacecraft
• Ion propulsion system, based on the design validated on Deep Space 1
• Two 100 W (RF) traveling wave tube amplifiers, fixed 1.5 m high-gain antenna,
  3 low-gain antennas, two small deep space transponders
• Solar array capable of producing more than 10 kW at Earth's distance from the Sun and more than 1 kW at Ceres's maximum distance
• Flight proven attitude control system used on Orbview, TOPEX/Poseidon ocean topography mission, and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer
• Simple hydrazine reaction control subsystem with two sets of six
  0.9 N engines used on the Indostar spacecraft
• Command and data handling uses off the shelf components as used on the
  Orbview program
• Modular flight software based on design used on Orbview
  
• Core structure is graphite composite. Panels are aluminum core, some with aluminum facesheets and others with composite facesheets.
  
  SPACECRAFT DIAGRAM:

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KEY
HGA – High Gain Antenna
LGA – Low Gain Antenna
CSS – Coarse Sun Sensors
GRaND – Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector
IPS Thrusters – Ion Propulsion Thrusters
RCS Thrusters – Reaction Control System Thrusters
VIR – Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
FC – Framing Camera

This figure depicts the Dawn flight system. Upper views are the same scale.

+ Learn about Dawn's ion propulsion
+ See published article on description of mission

Site Manager: Dawn Mission Outreach Office
Webmaster: McREL
CL04-1004