CALIFORNIA - unmanned spacecraft from NASA named Dawn, has entered the orbit of Vesta, one of the largest asteroids in the solar system, the space agency said the United States (U.S.) is.
As quoted by AFP on Monday (7/18/2011), Dawn is expected to get close up to a distance of 16 thousand kilometers of Vesta, to study the largest asteroid's surface.
It took up to four years to reach this point, "said Robert Mase, manager of the project is valued at USD466 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
Later, after observing for a year at Vesta, Dawn will move the aircraft to new destinations namely the minor planet Ceres, in July 2012. "With the mission, the Dawn will be the first unmanned spacecraft on the two objects orbiting the solar system other than Earth," said the official NASA.
The main purpose of the mission eight years conducted by Dawn was to study and compare the asteroid Vesta with the dwarf planet Ceres, which NASA says will uncover the early history of solar system formation.
"Equipment at Dawn will measure the composition, topography and surface texture. Furthermore, the Dawn spacecraft will also measure the power of gravity of Vesta and Ceres, to learn more about its internal structure, "explains the NASA.
Dawn was first launched in 2007, has a gamma ray tool and neutron detectors, which will collect information on cosmic rays when the aircraft is approaching an object. (ATA)
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