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Ion Propulsion: An Enabling Technology for the Dawn MissionThe Dawn mission, part of NASA's Discovery Program, has as its goal the scientific exploration of the two most massive main-belt asteroids, 4 Vesta, and the dwarf planet 1 Ceres. The Dawn spacecraft was launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on September 27, 2007 on a Delta-II 7925H-9.5 rocket that placed the 1218-kg spacecraft into an Earth-escape (heliocentic) trajectory with an escape velocity of 11 km/s. On-board the spacecraft is an ion propulsion system (IPS) developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory which will provide an additional delta-V of approximately 11 km/s for the heliocentric transfers to each body and for all orbit transfers including orbit capture/escape and transition to the various science orbits. Deterministic thrusting to Vesta began in December 2007 and concluded with orbit capture at Vesta in July 2011. The transfer to Vesta included a Mars gravity assist flyby in February 2009 that provided an additional delta-V of 2.6 km/s and was the only post-launch mission delta-V not provided by IPS. The IPS was used during the 14 months at Vesta for all science orbit transfers and then for Vesta escape. Deterministic thrusting for Ceres began in late August 2012 with a planned arrival date at Ceres in early 2015, whereupon IPS will be used for all science orbit transfers. As of January 2013 the IPS has been operated for approximately 28,000 hours, consumed approximately 280 kg of xenon, and provided a delta-V of approximately 7.5 km/s, the most post-launch delta-V of any spacecraft yet flown. IPS performance characteristics are very close to the expected performance based on analysis and testing performed pre-launch. Use of the IPS together with a medium-priced launch vehicle enabled this high delta-V mission to be performed within the Discovery Program cost cap. This paper provides an overview of the Dawn IPS and its mission operations through departure for Ceres.
Document ID
20150007440
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Garner, Charles E.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rayman, Mark M.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Whiffen, Greg J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Brophy, John R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Mikes, Steven C.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
May 6, 2015
Publication Date
February 10, 2013
Subject Category
Propellants And Fuels
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
AAS 13-342
Meeting Information
Meeting: AAS/AIAA Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting
Location: Kauai, HI
Country: United States
Start Date: February 10, 2013
End Date: February 14, 2013
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Astronautical Society
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Dawn mission overview

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