September 27, 200718 yr http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070927/capt.7b6cb77e18e24f16b14027f5f631fb81.asteroid_mission_fljr101.jpg?x=245&y=345&sig=sZKaljYpxnD.wleca.SuRg-- The scientific probe Dawn is on a 3 billion-mile course that will have it meeting up with an asteroid named Vesta in 2011 and a dwarf planet called Ceres in 2015. They are the biggest members of the crowded asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and scientists hope that by studying them up close, some of the secrets of the early solar system will be revealed. Most importantly, Dawn has three ion engines that will provide a gentle yet increasingly accelerating thrust. Electrons will bombard Dawn's modest supply of xenon gas, and the resulting ions will shoot out into space, nudging the spacecraft along. Even "Star Wars" had only twin ion engines with its T.I.E. Fighters, Rayman noted earlier in the week. "Dawn does the 'Star Wars' T.I.E. Fighters one better," he said. www.yahoo.com
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