[meteorite-list] Dawn Journal - May 3, 2011
From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 17:38:48 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <201105050038.p450cmlo015721_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov> > > On July 16, DAWN will enter a circum-Vestan orbit at > an altitude of 9,600 miles above Vesta. Its altitude will > be lowered progressively once the orbit has been tweaked > to the precise parameters needed. Vesta is not a "sphere," > so orbiting its center of gravity causes your distance from > its surface to vary like you were on a roller coaster. Give > it plenty of room; don't want to clip the asteroid, ya know... > It's a long way to the nearest body shop. > > Don't forget we've already have experience orbiting an asteroid... and even landed a spacecraft on an asteroid. ie: NEAR-Shoemaker on Eros. Ron Received on Wed 04 May 2011 08:38:48 PM PDT |
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