Mission Updates: Countdown to Pluto - June 9, 2015

TL;DR

NASA's New Horizons mission is approaching its historic flyby of the Pluto system, providing new insights into Pluto and its moons.

Transcript

from the johns hopkins applied physics laboratory in laurel maryland welcome to the nasa new horizons mission countdown to pluto i'm mike buckley from apl communications and public affairs bringing you the first of these weekly updates from pluto's doorstep as we count down to new horizons historic flight through the pluto system on july 14th it to... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 New Horizons is the first mission to the outer planets led by a principal investigator, making it a significant milestone in space exploration.
• 🥺 Pluto's discovery in 1930 led scientists to uncover the Kuiper Belt, a vast region of the solar system inhabited by small planets and other objects.
• 🥮 The New Horizons spacecraft is equipped with seven scientific instruments to collect data on Pluto's surface, moons, atmosphere, dust particles, and more.
• 🎟️ The mission aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Pluto system and contribute valuable knowledge to the field of planetary science.
• 👥 The New Horizons team consists of a small group of experts from various disciplines, working together to achieve the mission's objectives.
• 💩 Precise navigation is crucial to ensure the spacecraft hits its target box near Pluto, allowing for optimal scientific observations.
• 🇺🇸 The New Horizons mission is a culmination of decades of exploration, with the United States having explored all the planets in the solar system.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of the New Horizons mission?

The New Horizons mission is important because it will provide us with our first detailed look at Pluto and its moons. It is part of NASA's exploration of the solar system and will contribute to our understanding of the classical planets.

Q: How does New Horizons fit into NASA's exploration of the solar system?

New Horizons is an important part of NASA's portfolio of missions that aim to explore our solar system and beyond. It is the first of its kind in the new frontiers program, focusing on the study of Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.

Q: What will New Horizons discover during its flyby of Pluto?

New Horizons aims to gather data and produce maps of Pluto's surface, as well as its moons. It will also search for new moons and rings, determine the atmospheric composition and structure, and create composition maps of the entire system.

Q: What is the size and weight of the New Horizons spacecraft?

The New Horizons spacecraft is about the size of a baby grand piano and weighs less than a thousand pounds, including fuel. It is highly miniaturized to be light and capable of conducting a fast flyby.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The New Horizons spacecraft is 34 days away from its flyby of the Pluto system, after a nine-year journey covering three billion miles.

• NASA views this mission as a crucial part of its exploration of the solar system, expanding our understanding of the classical planets and paving the way for future exploration.

• New Horizons is the first mission of its kind, focusing on studying Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.