NASA’s Dawn makes history by orbiting a dwarf planet

by Larra Morris

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has achieved the distinction of becoming the first to orbit a dwarf planet. The spacecraft recently began circling Ceres, the largest known body in the main asteroid belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter.

Dawn confirmed its orbiting success by sending a signal to mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory around 8:36 AM EST today. The spacecraft has also become the first to orbit two extraterrestrial bodies; it explored the huge asteroid Vesta—the second largest body in the main asteroid belt—from 2011 to 2012.
via IEEE Spectrum

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Mar 25, 2026

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NASA’s Dawn makes history by orbiting a dwarf planet

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