After initial testing, during which the ion thrusters accumulated more than 11 days 14 hours of operation, "Dawn" began long-term cruise propulsion on December 17, 2007. On October 31, 2008, "Dawn" completed its first thrusting phase to send it on to Mars for a gravity assist flyby in February 2009. During this first interplanetary cruise phase, "Dawn" spent 270 days, or 85% of this phase, using its thrusters. It expended less than 72 kilograms of xenon propellant for a total change in velocity of 1.81 km/s. On November 20, 2008, "Dawn" performed its first trajectory correction maneuver (TCM1), firing its number 1 thruster for 2 hours, 11 minutes.