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Dawn Spacecraft System

The Orbital Sciences-built Dawn spacecraft used solar-electric ion propulsion to orbit both protoplanet Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres before ending operations in Ceres orbit in 2018.

Dawn Spacecraft System
NASA / NASA Kennedy Space Center · NASA-owned asset; the exact NASA Images API record KSC-07PD-0864 is byte-identical to this clean-room photograph of the Dawn spacecraft at Astrotech’s Payload Processing Facility, records NASA as photographer, and identifies NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as the center. NASA’s current Images and Media Usage Guidelines generally permit factual or informational/editorial use with NASA attribution and without implying NASA endorsement. NASA insignia and identifiers, third-party material, commercial, promotional, merchandise, or other protected-rights uses may require separate clearance; verify before such use. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
Dawn ion-propelled spacecraft
Family Name
Dawn
Full Name
Dawn Spacecraft System
Roles
interplanetary_probeorbiter
Status
retired
Type
spacecraft

Details

Description
The Orbital Sciences-built Dawn spacecraft used solar-electric ion propulsion to orbit both protoplanet Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres before ending operations in Ceres orbit in 2018.
First Flight Year
2,007
Last Flight Year
2,018
Manufacturer
Operator
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Nested value
    Name
    Dawn exact NSTAR electric-propulsion configuration
    Notes
    NASA documents three NSTAR-type ion thrusters on Dawn; only one operates at a time and the third serves as a spare. The separate twelve-thruster hydrazine reaction-control system remains intentionally omitted because its exact canonical propulsion identity is not established in this packet.
Spacecraft Specs
Reusability
unknown

Links

Official Url
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dawn/

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 17, 2026 at 00:13:30 UTC
Updated Time
August 1, 2026 at 18:27:34 UTC
Image
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Search Name
Dawn Spacecraft System Dawn ion-propelled spacecraft