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TildalWave
TildalWave
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Why is Dawn in a much higher orbitsobservation orbit than Rosetta?

Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to softlandsoft-land. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode as its star tracker confused debris around it for stars.

Is it maybe because of gravity or, propulsion or, instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?

Why is Dawn in much higher orbits than Rosetta?

Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to softland. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode.

Is it maybe because of gravity or propulsion or instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?

Why is Dawn in a much higher observation orbit than Rosetta?

Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to soft-land. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode as its star tracker confused debris around it for stars.

Is it maybe because of gravity, propulsion, instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?

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LocalFluff
LocalFluff
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Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to softland. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode.

HasIs it to do withmaybe because of gravity or propulsion or instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?

Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to softland. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode.

Has it to do with gravity or propulsion or instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?

Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to softland. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode.

Is it maybe because of gravity or propulsion or instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?

Source Link
LocalFluff
LocalFluff
  • 27k
  • 8
  • 82
  • 227

Why is Dawn in much higher orbits than Rosetta?

Dawn orbits Ceres at thousands of kilometers periapsis altitude, and doesn't seem to plan to go lower than 375 km. In contrast, Rosetta has been down to about 30 km altitude, and will finally even try to softland. And that's at a comet with a coma that might already have caused Rosetta to enter safe mode.

Has it to do with gravity or propulsion or instrumentation or spacecraft design? Isn't closer better?