New Horizons: Pre-launch, launch and main cruise, Pluto and the Kuiper belt |
New Horizons: Pre-launch, launch and main cruise, Pluto and the Kuiper belt |
Feb 8 2005, 02:09 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 133 Joined: 29-January 05 Member No.: 161 |
Yes it's happening after all these years, the mission to the last planet!
And maybe to celebrate the confirmation of budget, NASA approval preparations and the fueling of the RTG (radioisotope thermoelectric generator), there is an updated web site at http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/ Launch will be January 2006 with arrival at the Pluto Charon system July 2015 (mark your calender!) and then on through the Kuiper belt during 2016-2020 and beyond. 20.8-centimeter telescope for 100m resolution at closest approach IR/UV spectrometers 2 x 8GB data recorders data rate: 768 bps (sic) to 70m DSN 465kg including fuel $650m 336 days to launch -------------------- |
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Sep 20 2005, 11:03 AM
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 1 Joined: 18-June 05 Member No.: 414 |
I couldn't help noticing in a recent magazine article that 2003 UB313 is 'kind of in the same direction' (stop me if I'm getting too technical) as Pluto. I know the orbital inclinations are very different, but is 2003 UB313 completely out of the question as a target for New Horizons? Judging by its distance it might take another fifteen or twenty years to reach after the Pluto encounter, so I'd imagine there might be problem with RTG power after that length of time.
Anthony |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 8th June 2024 - 05:17 PM |
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