The NASA Dawn mission, launched in 2007, aimed to visit two of the most
massive protoplanets of the main asteroid belt: Vesta and Ceres. The aim
was to further our understanding of the earliest days of the Solar
System, and compare the two bodies to better understand their formation
and evolution. This book summarises state-of-the-art results from the
mission, and discusses the implications for our understanding not only
of the asteroid belt but the entire Solar System. It comprises of three
parts: Part 1 provides an overview of the main belt asteroids and
provides an introduction to the Dawn mission; Part 2 presents key
findings from the mission; and Part 3 discusses how these findings
provide insights into the formation and evolution of the Solar System.
This is a definitive reference for academic researchers and
professionals of planetary science, asteroid science and space
exploration.