On Pluto's Doorstep - Live Hangout with New Horizons Team

TL;DR

The New Horizons mission will provide valuable data on Pluto and its moons, studying its surface features, atmosphere composition, and searching for additional satellites and rings.

Transcript

e e e e e e e e it's the so it's good that we're there we go well hi everybody my name is Fraser Kane I'm the publisher of universe today and we've got a very special event today I'm really excited about this we've got the science team from NASA's new horizon spacecraft here to talk with us about uh all of the stuff that's happening and what's goin... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇳🇨 New Horizons has been in operation since 2006 and successfully completed a flyby of Jupiter in 2007.
• 🎟️ The mission team has planned the Pluto encounter and tested instruments and calibrations to prepare for the mission.
• 😋 New Horizons will study Pluto's surface features, atmosphere composition, and search for additional satellites and rings during the mission.
• 🎟️ The mission has considered the risks of encountering debris and has developed models to mitigate potential hazards.
• 💝 The spacecraft has the potential to provide data on the Pluto system up until the late 2030s, relying on its RTG power source.

Questions & Answers

Q: What kind of data will New Horizons collect during the mission?

New Horizons will study Pluto's surface features using imaging technology and spectrometers to analyze its composition. It will also study Pluto's atmosphere to determine its composition and search for additional satellites and rings.

Q: Will New Horizons be able to study the atmosphere of Pluto?

Yes, New Horizons will use the Alice UV spectrometer to study the composition of Pluto's atmosphere. It will look for various chemical species and determine the composition as a function of altitude.

Q: What are the goals of the mission in terms of studying Pluto's surface features?

The mission aims to understand the surface of Pluto by studying its craters, which provide insights into the age and evolution of the surface. It will also study the geology and shape of Pluto and its moon, Sharon.

Q: What are the risks involved in the mission and how are they mitigated?

The mission team has considered the risks of encountering debris in the Pluto system and has developed models to assess the probability of impacts. The trajectory of the spacecraft can be adjusted if necessary to avoid potential hazards.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The New Horizons spacecraft has been in operation since its launch in 2006 and successfully completed a flyby of Jupiter in 2007.

• The spacecraft hibernates for most of the journey, with the team on Earth planning the Pluto encounter and performing necessary calibrations and tests.

• The mission aims to study Pluto's surface features, atmosphere composition, and search for additional satellites and rings.