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NASA's Dawn spacecraft has become silent. The spacecraft missed scheduled communication sessions with NASA's Deep Space Network on Wednesday (31 October 2018) and Thursday (1 November). Once the crew eliminated other possible causes for the missed communications, the mission concluded that the spacecraft eventually ran out of hydrazine, fuel allowing it to control its score. According to NASA, Dawn can no longer maintain its trained antennas on Earth to communicate with the control of the mission or turn its solar panels to the sun to recharge.
The Dawn Space Shuttle was launched in September 2007. Its mission was to visit the two largest objects of the main asteroid belt – Vesta and Ceres. The spacecraft has traveled 6.9 billion kilometers and is currently orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres, where it will remain for decades.
This photo of Ceres and the illuminated regions of Occator Crater was one of the last views of NASA's Dawn spacecraft before it came to an end. This view, which faces south, was captured on September 1, 2018 at an altitude of 3370 km (3,340 miles) as the spacecraft climbed into its elliptical orbit. Image via NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA.
Powered by ion engines, the spacecraft made many firsts along the way. In 2011, when Dawn arrived at Vesta, the second largest world of the main asteroid belt, the satellite became the first to orbit a body in the region between Mars and Jupiter. In 2015, when Dawn came into orbit around Ceres, a dwarf planet that is also the world's largest asteroid belt, the mission became the first to visit a dwarf planet and get into orbit around from two destinations beyond the Earth.
The director of the mission and chief engineer, Marc Rayman, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said in a statement:
The fact that the license plate frame of my car proclaims, "My other vehicle is in the main asteroid belt" shows how proud I am of Dawn. The demands we imposed on Dawn were huge, but that was the challenge every time. It's hard to say goodbye to this amazing spaceship, but the time has come.
According to a statement by NASA:
The data that Dawn sent back to Earth from her four scientific experiments allowed scientists to compare two planet-like worlds that evolved in a very different way. Among his achievements, Dawn has shown the importance of the location and evolution of objects in the early solar system. Dawn also reinforced the idea that dwarf planets could have harbored oceans in a significant part of their history, if at all.
The rendering of this artist shows the NASA Dawn spacecraft maneuvering over Ceres with its ion propulsion system. Dawn arrived in orbit at Ceres on March 6, 2015. Image via JPL.
The plan of the mission does not provide for the spectacular closure of a last fiery dive as NASA's Cassini spacecraft ended last year. This is because Ceres presents interesting conditions for scientists who study the chemistry that leads to the development of life. NASA therefore applies strict planetary protection protocols for the disposal of the Dawn spacecraft. Dawn will remain in orbit for at least 20 years and engineers have more than 99% confidence that the orbit will last at least 50 years.
Here is more information about the Dawn mission:
The lunar calendars 2019 are here! Order yours before they leave. Makes a great gift.
Bottom line: the Dawn spacecraft is running out of fuel. The mission to explore the 2 largest bodies of the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres, is coming to an end.
Via NASA
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