Dawn's last mission extensions at Ceres, From XMO3 to EOM |
Dawn's last mission extensions at Ceres, From XMO3 to EOM |
Jun 21 2017, 01:28 AM
Post
#31
|
|
Interplanetary Dumpster Diver Group: Admin Posts: 4404 Joined: 17-February 04 From: Powell, TN Member No.: 33 |
Another asteroid flyby would be cool, but I'd like to stay at Ceres to monitor it though perihelion to see if any changes/outgassing can be detected.
-------------------- |
|
|
Jun 21 2017, 04:22 AM
Post
#32
|
|
Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8785 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Perihelion is next April, and it does seem as if most water vapor detections by remote sensors have happened around then.
I concur with Ted. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
|
|
|
Jun 21 2017, 06:40 AM
Post
#33
|
|
Director of Galilean Photography Group: Members Posts: 896 Joined: 15-July 04 From: Austin, TX Member No.: 93 |
I agree, stay at Ceres, but in a long term parking orbit that would allow for long term observations, with possible dips to a close orbit for flybys of anything interesting. I doubt we'll see significant changes, but maybe we'll get lucky. Occator crater is such an enigma, with the youth of the central mound. It is fascinating that two icy bodies (Ceres and Enceladus) that span an order of magnitude of sizes have localized activity.
-------------------- Space Enthusiast Richard Hendricks
-- "The engineers, as usual, made a tremendous fuss. Again as usual, they did the job in half the time they had dismissed as being absolutely impossible." --Rescue Party, Arthur C Clarke Mother Nature is the final inspector of all quality. |
|
|
Jun 22 2017, 01:35 PM
Post
#34
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 656 Joined: 20-April 05 From: League City, Texas Member No.: 285 |
Europa? No way it'll survive that far from the Sun and that sort of radiation dose... True, only 28% as much solar energy at Jupiter (if I did the math right). Not sure if this is more a problem for propulsion or simply keeping the electronics running. And I have no expertise in judging the radiation problem, though (having been a software developer once upon a time), I do wonder whether radiation tolerant software could be developed -- perhaps using the RAM in a multiply redundant fashion -- but that's a broader problem. Anyway, my vote would be to go elsewhere if possible, with the argument being that flyby observations of another -- never explored -- asteroid would be more valuable than spending a bit more time at Ceres. |
|
|
Jun 23 2017, 06:29 AM
Post
#35
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 255 Joined: 28-October 12 Member No.: 6732 |
Perihelion is next April, and it does seem as if most water vapor detections by remote sensors have happened around then. "Ceres' Temporary Atmosphere Linked to Solar Activity ... Villarreal and colleagues showed that past detections of the transient atmosphere coincided with higher concentrations of energetic protons from the sun. Non-detections coincided with lower concentrations of these particles. What's more, the best detections of Ceres' atmosphere did not occur at its closest approach to the sun. This suggests that solar activity, rather than Ceres' proximity to the sun, is a more important factor in generating an exosphere." |
|
|
Jun 24 2017, 01:36 PM
Post
#36
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 120 Joined: 26-May 15 From: Rome - Italy Member No.: 7482 |
I would like to stay up Ceres to the perihelion. However, it depends on which asteroid destination Dawn team proposing.
|
|
|
Nov 1 2017, 10:54 PM
Post
#37
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 544 Joined: 17-November 05 From: Oklahoma Member No.: 557 |
It is confirmed that Dawn will stay at Ceres. From now until the end of mission they will try to get into a closer orbit than ever before (at periapsis in a highly elliptical orbit), photograph the southern hemisphere with favorable lighting and observe Ceres at it closest point to the sun. The last part is in April with the greater possibility of Ceres outgassing an atmosphere.
October 19 Press Release October 31st Dawn Journal |
|
|
Jan 11 2018, 09:03 PM
Post
#38
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2106 Joined: 13-February 10 From: Ontario Member No.: 5221 |
Many details in the latest Dawn Journal: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/blog/2017/12/dear-...awnce-travelers
Descent to lower orbit should start in April, though targeting of specific areas for higher resolution imagery is not guaranteed. |
|
|
May 9 2018, 08:10 PM
Post
#39
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 120 Joined: 26-May 15 From: Rome - Italy Member No.: 7482 |
Where is Dawn? Notices on extended mission?
|
|
|
May 9 2018, 10:46 PM
Post
#40
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2106 Joined: 13-February 10 From: Ontario Member No.: 5221 |
I'm assuming no news is good news, they are still spiraling down to the final orbit. Should be in an intermediate orbit May 14th, according to the last journal, and then May 31st to finish off.
Journal update: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs...elliptical.html Ceres reached perihelion, all is well with Dawn.... |
|
|
Jun 15 2018, 06:36 AM
Post
#41
|
|
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 17 Joined: 15-August 15 Member No.: 7722 |
|
|
|
Jun 15 2018, 01:07 PM
Post
#42
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2106 Joined: 13-February 10 From: Ontario Member No.: 5221 |
Really neat limb view here: https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22522
New journal entry posted; looks like EOM is estimated for September, October at the latest: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs...lling-down.html Running out of hydrazine for manouevres is not exactly a dramatic end, but what a journey it will have been! |
|
|
Jun 18 2018, 08:45 AM
Post
#43
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 120 Joined: 26-May 15 From: Rome - Italy Member No.: 7482 |
|
|
|
Jun 18 2018, 08:47 AM
Post
#44
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 120 Joined: 26-May 15 From: Rome - Italy Member No.: 7482 |
|
|
|
Jun 18 2018, 10:58 AM
Post
#45
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1075 Joined: 21-September 07 From: Québec, Canada Member No.: 3908 |
You can find those images here.
|
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 23rd September 2024 - 01:11 PM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |