NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft Turned Up For Rendezvous With Pluto System
After spending about two-third of its flight time in space and travelling more than 2.9 billion miles from Earth, NASA’s spacecraft ‘New Horizons’ has been switched from hibernation to active mode. The main objective of the space probe is to study Pluto and its moons in 2015. To observe one or two Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) is also the primary objective of this mission. After the cancellation of Pluto-bound probes such as Pluto Fast Flyby and Pluto Kuiper Express, this mission was approved in 2001. The spacecraft was then launched on January 19, 2006 and has spent 1,873 days in space.
Till now, the New Horizons spacecraft has went through 18 separate hibernation periods starting from mid-2007 with most of them after travelling through Jupiter. The hibernation periods ranged from 36 days to 202 days. Most of the post-Jupiter voyage was spent in hibernation mode to preserve spacecraft components and to minimize the probability of system failure. In August, NASA had deployed the wake-up sequence into New Horizon’s onboard computer. 90 minutes after starting the sequence on December 6 at 3 p.m. (EST), the spacecraft has started sending signals to Earth. At 9:53 p.m. (EST), it was confirmed that the system has switched from hibernation to 'active' mode.
On January 15, New Horizons will start uncovering the Pluto system with the help of a seven-instrument science payload that consists of advanced scientific instruments such as imaging infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers, a compact multicolor camera, a high-resolution telescopic camera, two powerful particle spectrometers and a space-dust detector. The space probe will get better view of the Pluto system from mid-May 2015. But, the spacecraft will be close to Pluto in July, most probably on July 14.
The mind-boggling journey of New Horizons is a gateway to the new region Kuiper Belt. The spacecraft will give possible flybys of one or more Kuiper belt objects during the period from 2016 to 2020. The mission is expected to end in 2026.
Source: On Pluto’s Doorstep, New Horizons Spacecraft Awakens for Encounter | NASA
Till now, the New Horizons spacecraft has went through 18 separate hibernation periods starting from mid-2007 with most of them after travelling through Jupiter. The hibernation periods ranged from 36 days to 202 days. Most of the post-Jupiter voyage was spent in hibernation mode to preserve spacecraft components and to minimize the probability of system failure. In August, NASA had deployed the wake-up sequence into New Horizon’s onboard computer. 90 minutes after starting the sequence on December 6 at 3 p.m. (EST), the spacecraft has started sending signals to Earth. At 9:53 p.m. (EST), it was confirmed that the system has switched from hibernation to 'active' mode.
On January 15, New Horizons will start uncovering the Pluto system with the help of a seven-instrument science payload that consists of advanced scientific instruments such as imaging infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers, a compact multicolor camera, a high-resolution telescopic camera, two powerful particle spectrometers and a space-dust detector. The space probe will get better view of the Pluto system from mid-May 2015. But, the spacecraft will be close to Pluto in July, most probably on July 14.
The mind-boggling journey of New Horizons is a gateway to the new region Kuiper Belt. The spacecraft will give possible flybys of one or more Kuiper belt objects during the period from 2016 to 2020. The mission is expected to end in 2026.
Source: On Pluto’s Doorstep, New Horizons Spacecraft Awakens for Encounter | NASA
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