Dawn switches to ion thruster #1 and continues thrusting
Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 23:59 UTC
Dawn devoted most of the month to continuing to thrust with its ion propulsion system.
Based on the thermal tests conducted last month, engineers determined that it was safe to switch to ion thruster #1 this month. Therefore, on June 18, when it was time to resume thrusting after pointing its main antenna to Earth, Dawn began using that thruster for the first time since October. Data returned from the spacecraft the next day verified that all temperatures were within their required ranges.
