NASA's Dawn Nears Dwarf Planet Ceres
After nearly eight year journey, NASA spacecraft will reach Ceres on Friday.
— -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft will reach the dwarf planet Ceres on Friday in what has been a nearly eight year journey.
When the probe reaches Ceres and inserts itself into its orbit, it will be the first time a space mission has successfully visited a dwarf planet, according to NASA. Ceres is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
"Studying Ceres allows us to do historical research in space, opening a window into the earliest chapter in the history of our solar system," Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division said in a statement. "Data returned from Dawn could contribute significant breakthroughs in our understanding of how the solar system formed."
Launched in 2007, Dawn first explored the asteroid Vesta in 2011 and 2012 before moving along on its journey to Ceres. Dawn began approaching Ceres in December and has sent back the highest ever resolution photos seen of the dwarf planet, revealing a crater-like surface appearance that scientists are eager to learn more about.
Once Dawn reaches its second destination on Friday, the mission is expected to continue for 16 months as researchers analyze data about Ceres, which is thought to be icy and possibly contain an ocean -- possibly yielding new clues about the formation of the solar system.
The spacecraft uses ion propulsion engines to power it through its long journey in space.
NASA will make another house call to a second dwarf planet, Pluto, when the New Horizons probe reaches its destination this summer.