New Horizons Arrives At Ksc |
New Horizons Arrives At Ksc |
Sep 26 2005, 09:56 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 134 Joined: 13-March 05 Member No.: 191 |
NASA Press Release
APL press release Space.com Article Coming up... October: communications checks November: hydrazine loading and Atlas V countdown rehearsal December: integration with Atlas V January: LAUNCH! No pictures on the KSC webcams yet. But still pictures here. Is that the flight RTG attached to the spacecraft? Or just a dummy? |
|
|
Oct 29 2005, 05:16 PM
Post
#2
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 134 Joined: 13-March 05 Member No.: 191 |
As we get closer to launch, I thought post this chart of New Horizon's Launch window. It's taken from the NH presentation to the October meeting of OPAG.
The prime window is only 17 days long. After that, NH's arrival at Pluto gets later fast. Amazingly, the later part of the window sents NH on a Pluto-direct trajectory. No gravity assists. Even considering the longer flight time, and the fact that the mission involves a lot of rocket for a little spacecraft, a direct throw out of the solar system is pretty impressive. Hopefully, it won't be needed! If the window is missed completely, then NH will launch in 2007, and we'll have to wait to 2019-2021 to see Pluto. Fingers crossed! |
|
|
Oct 29 2005, 05:59 PM
Post
#3
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 183 Joined: 22-October 05 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Member No.: 534 |
Thank's for posting that. I assume that the day-by-day vs arrival year is based on how close to Jupiter it winds up coming; and then later, Pluto's distance? The impression given on the NH website is that immediately after Feb 2nd it jumps to 2019 (and that before and after there are no variances).
-------------------- |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 31st October 2024 - 11:48 PM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |