new horizons nasa’ pluto-kuiper belt mission a nasa new frontiers mission “the first mission to...

New HorizonsNASA’ Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission

A NASA New Frontiers Mission

“The First Mission to the Ninth PlanetAnd the Solar System’s Third Zone”

New Horizons Mission

Launched on Jan. 19, 2006 Passed the Moon in 9 hrs. Jupiter flyby 13 months later,

Feb. 28, 2007 – closest approach Gravitational assist Reduced the trip by 3 yrs

Pluto closest encounter operations begin April 12, 2015

July 14, 2015 Pluto closest approach

A Mission of Firsts

Why Study Pluto? An ice dwarf planet, common to the deep

outer solar system. Pluto-Charon is the solar system’s only

known binary planet, with implications for atmospheric transfer and for better understanding of how the Earth-Moon system formed.

Chance to observe planetary hydrodynamic escape of the atmosphere, Process believed to have shaped Earth’s

primordial atmospheric loss. Surface history of outer solar system

bombardment. Comparing Pluto’s with Charon’s - direct

comparison of present-day & historical impacts. Pluto’s surface is considered “young” due to

continual sublimation and condensation of frost Charon’s is “old.” due to the apparent lack of

atmosphere,

Flight Route

FLYBY OBJECTIVES

Jupiter science included studies of Jovian meteorology, satellite geology and composition, Auroral phenomena, & magnetospheric physics.

Discovery and Dataset Goals Six months of encounter science. Exceed Hubble resolution for months. Map Pluto and all three satellites. Make composition maps of Pluto and Charon. Map surface temperature fields. Directly measure Pluto’s escape rate. Assay Pluto’s atmospheric structure and composition. Determine if either Pluto or Charon differentiated. Locate additional satellites.

The most exciting discoverieswill likely be the ones we

Don’t anticipate.

SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD Instruments:

REX radio science & radiometry RALPH VIS/IR imaging & spectroscopy ALICE UV imaging spectroscopy LORRI High-resolution imager SWAP plasma spectrometer PEPSSI energetic particle spectrometer SDC EPO Student Dust Counter