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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Nov 26 2005, 03:34 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1276 Joined: 25-November 04 Member No.: 114 |
I have a question that has been asked of me before but I really had no answer to.
Are Pluto and Charon close enough to cause tidal heating? Could Pluto's core be warm? |
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Nov 26 2005, 04:57 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
QUOTE (Decepticon @ Nov 26 2005, 09:34 AM) I have a question that has been asked of me before but I really had no answer to. Are Pluto and Charon close enough to cause tidal heating? Could Pluto's core be warm? Assuming Pluto and Charon did not form tide locked (probably a pretty good bet), they would have interacted tidally till they did achieve lock. Dissipation of significant amounts of heat in either body, considering their composition, would have been very interesting. Consider that we know Charon's surface is depleted in methane compared to Pluto. Considering the volatility of methane, we may have some evidence of a past period of significant tidal heating on Charon. Perhaps the NH mission will photograph signs of past heating on Charon. |
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