spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


Dawn shows Vesta to be remnant protoplanet
Posted: Mon, May 14, 2012, 6:22 AM ET (1022 GMT)
Dawn orbiting Vesta illustration (NASA/JPL) Scientists analyzing data from NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbiting the large asteroid Vesta have concluded that the body has some of the key characteristics of a planet, suggesting it is a protoplanet left over from the solar system's formation. Observations of the asteroid show that it is a differentiated body, featuring an iron core with a radius of 110 kilometers as well as a mantle and crust. That leads scientists to conclude that Vesta is a protoplanet whose evolution into a full-fledged planet was stopped before it could evolve into a larger world. Scientists also confirmed that a class of meteorites that comprise six percent of meteorites found on Earth are from Vesta. Observations of Vesta by Dawn will continue through late August, when the spacecraft will depart for its other planned destination, the asteroid/dwarf planet Ceres, arriving there in 2015.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT)

French government leads investment in Eutelsat
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)

NASA further delays Ax-4 launch
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:34 AM ET (1234 GMT)

news links
Monday, June 23
SpaceX Sends Icelandic Hemp on Orbital Mission
Iceland Review — 4:31 am ET (0831 GMT)
Amazon and SpaceX satellite launches rescheduled for Monday
WESH-TV Orlando — 4:28 am ET (0828 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list