Dawn Space Probe Gets Extra Time to Explore Asteroid Vesta

This artist's concept shows NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbiting the giant asteroid Vesta. The depiction of Vesta is based on images obtained by Dawn's framing cameras. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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April 18, 2012

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Dawn mission has received official confirmation that 40 extra days have been added to its exploration of the giant asteroid Vesta, the second most massive object in the main asteroid belt. The mission extension allows Dawn to continue its scientific observations at Vesta until Aug. 26, while still arriving at the dwarf planet Ceres at the same originally scheduled target date in February 2015.
MORE: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-107&cid=release_2012-107&msource=12107

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