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This artist's concept shows NASA's Dawn spacecraft arriving at the dwarf planet Ceres, the most massive body in the asteroid belt. Dawn is the first mission to visit a dwarf planet -- a round body that orbits the sun but, unlike a planet, does not clear iCeres Seen From NASA's Dawn Spacecraft. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDAThis image shows infrared views of two craters at the giant asteroid Vesta that NASA's Dawn mission has found to sport the mineral olivine. These craters, Bellicia (left) and Arruntia (right), are in the northern hemisphere, where Dawn scientists didn't eArtist's impression of the Dawn spacecraft. Credit: NASA JPL / http://dawnblog.jpl.nasa.gov
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This artist's concept shows NASA's Dawn spacecraft arriving at the dwarf planet Ceres, the most massive body in the asteroid belt. Dawn is the first mission to visit a dwarf planet -- a round body that orbits the sun but, unlike a planet, does not clear its orbital path of other objects. Image credit: NASA/JPL-CaltechNASA/JPL-Caltech
Ceres Seen From NASA's Dawn Spacecraft. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDANASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
This image shows infrared views of two craters on the giant asteroid Vesta that NASA's Dawn mission has found to sport the mineral olivine. These craters, Bellicia (left) and Arruntia (right), are in the northern hemisphere, where Dawn scientists didn't expect to find olivine. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/ASI/INAFNASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/ASI/INAF
Artist's impression of the Dawn spacecraft. Credit: NASA JPL / http://dawnblog.jpl.nasa.govNASA JPL
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Mission name: Dawn

Dawn

Dawn provided new information about the early Solar System and formation of rocky planets by visiting protoplanets in the Main Asteroid Belt.

Mission news and discoveries
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
NASA: Ceres May Have Had Long-Standing Energy to Fuel Habitability (NASA)August 20, 2025
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
What Are Asteroids? (NASA)June 26, 2025
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
Where did Vesta Come From?June 27, 2024
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
Stony Meteorites and the Story of VestaFebruary 23, 2023
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
National Ocean Month: Astrobiology and Earth's OceansJune 08, 2022
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
Gravity Assist: The Bright Spot of the Asteroid Belt, with Britney SchmidtDecember 21, 2020
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
Mystery Solved: Bright Areas on Ceres Come From Salty Water Below (NASA JPL)August 10, 2020
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
Apply for "The PI Launchpad: From Science Idea to NASA Mission"September 25, 2019
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
Evidence for Carbon-Rich Surface on CeresDecember 10, 2018
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
NASA's Dawn Mission to Asteroid Belt Comes to EndNovember 05, 2018
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
German Aerospace Center: Institute of Planetary ResearchJuly 23, 2018
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
How Small Bodies are Playing a Big Role in Planetary ScienceMay 18, 2018
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
Meteorites Brought Water To Earth During the First Two Million YearsFebruary 14, 2018
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
Meteorite's Origins Point to Possible Undiscovered AsteroidDecember 01, 2017