NASA's New Horizons is On its Way to Pluto STATUS REPORT Date Released: Thursday, January 19, 2006 Source: NASA HQ
Editor's update 4:20 pm EST: New Horizons' PI Alan Stern just announced that the spacecraft is carrying some of Clyde Tombaugh's ashes. Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930.
Success! NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has launched at 2:00 pm EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a fast-moving Atlas V rocket. It's headed for a distant rendezvous with the mysterious planet Pluto almost a decade from now.
The third time was the charm for New Horizons. Two consecutive launch attempts earlier in the week were foiled by high winds at the launch site and a power outage at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., which operates the spacecraft now that the mission is underway.
As the first spacecraft to visit Pluto and its moon Charon, New Horizons looks to unlock one of the solar system's last, great planetary secrets. After launch aboard an Atlas V, the New Horizons spacecraft will cross the entire span of the solar system and conduct flyby studies of Pluto and Charon in 2015. The seven science instruments on the piano-sized probe will shed light on the bodies' surface properties, geology, interior makeup and atmospheres.
The first 13 months of the mission include spacecraft and instrument checkouts, instrument calibrations and trajectory correction maneuvers. There will also be rehearsals for an encounter with Jupiter in spring 2007, in which the giant planet will provide a slingshot-like gravity boost that could save New Horizons up to three years of flight time. This encounter will be followed by an approximately 8-year interplanetary cruise to Pluto.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
USS Tombaugh!
And it's not stopping at Pluto, if you really wanna nitpick. It keeps going after whipping by over the course of a few mintues, and will eventually reach other Kuiper Belt Objects. It's a really, REALLY long term mission, but if NASA knows how to make 'em last, they'll have made this one to last long enough to get way out there and beyond.
And talk about speed records! It'll be past the moon before tomorrow, and will get a gravity assist from Jupiter in just over a year. Someone had better inform the Discovery on subspace that they're on a reallllly slow nuclear rocket.
Mark
Posted by Dukhat (Member # 341) on :
Perhaps we'll really be lucky and the spacecraft will last long enough to make flybys of Sedna, Quaoar, and Buffy. But NH will probably be nowhere near them, though.
That aside, this is terrific news. Finally, photos of all 9 planets, plus Kuiper Belt objects!
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
You can't tell the Discovery - their radio broke, remember? (prepares for onslaught from people who have seen 2001 more recently...)
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
Yay, billions of dollars spent so some other shmuck could get his ashes spread throughout the universe. (I'm pointing at YOU Roddenberry!) Couldn't he have just waited for the killer meteor to do that for him? Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
Wow - Pluto in 9 years! That's pretty impressive, I hadn't realized it would be that quick. Hopefully we'll get some new insight into Jupiter on the way past.
I wonder if you can run Linux on that thing??
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
I read somewhere that because they couldn't launch on the first try, it won't be getting the gravity assist from Jupiter. The timing would not be right or something.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
That seems odd- Mabye they have to make a slight tweak but I'm sure some assist can be made- they adjusted Galeleo's trajectory several times in-flight. Speaking of which, here's a cool (if hideous) site with lots of goodies (particularly on the recently completed Stardust mission).
This is fucking fantastic.
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
Well, that post wins the awards for crappiest page I've seen on the internet in over a year AND the coolest page I've seen on the internet in over a year. Thanks for making my day.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dat: I read somewhere that because they couldn't launch on the first try, it won't be getting the gravity assist from Jupiter. The timing would not be right or something.
It was a string of launch windows open until about February 14th, after which is when they wouldn't be able to get the gravity assist. But we don't have to worry about that anymore, since they made the window!
B.J.
Posted by Shakaar (Member # 1782) on :
I'm uncertain how much I'm for this mission, sure Pluto is the only... Really big comet, or small planetoid we've not sent a probe past... I think I'd rather see us send an orbital satelite to another world instead, such as a modified weather satelite to Jupiter or Saturn.... Something that could stay there and remain in orbit to look around for a period of years, something that could send back first hand video of impacts, or anything else that goes on. The probe is going to whiz past Pluto so quickly it will only serve to give us the wee-est of glances as it flies by.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
So, instead of exploring the Kuiper Belt, we should totally double up on Cassini?
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
Going to Pluto now is a good idea in terms of this atmosphere-freezing-solid-for-200+years thing. Going to Mars now is smart because we have existing relay stations and mappers in orbit, but with limited lifetime warranties.
The rest of the Sol system will stay out there and patiently wait for later exploration.
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
I can almost see the future now. It's 22 something or other. and Humankind creates a starship capable of traveling to another solar system. The only bad part, is that some crazed Star Trek fanboy made his way to the top of NASA and made sure the ship looked like the USS Enterprise...
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Shakaar: I'm uncertain how much I'm for this mission, sure Pluto is the only... Really big comet, or small planetoid we've not sent a probe past... I think I'd rather see us send an orbital satelite to another world instead, such as a modified weather satelite to Jupiter or Saturn.... Something that could stay there and remain in orbit to look around for a period of years, something that could send back first hand video of impacts, or anything else that goes on. The probe is going to whiz past Pluto so quickly it will only serve to give us the wee-est of glances as it flies by.
We cant really do that for lots of reasons- mostly the billions of uncharted rocks, pebbles and boulders in Jupiter, and it's various moon's orbits. Jupiter acts like a vaccum cleaner for our solar system- constantly pulling in comets and asterpods that would otherwise dive further into the inner planet's orbits. Good for us, bad for figuring out stable orbits for a lot of the changing orbits in the "Jovian System".
Even stuff like Cassini stays well away from this enourmous gravity well -and it's been mostly good luck that the probes we've sent into atmoshere there were not intercepted by anything first.
Really, it's incredible how much good luck the various space programs have enjoyed- just last night there was (on the Science CHannel) an intresting decumentary on how the Apollo astronauts had no clue if they would be exposed to serious levels of cosmic rays (as solar mapping was at best, in it's infantcy back then).
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, Cassini stays well away from Jupiter because orbiting Jupiter makes studying Saturn unnecessarily difficult.
As to the rest, while Jupiter has exerted a huge influence on the development of the solar system, it is not some solar system Sargasso. (This entire post was an excuse for that phrase.) It's the third most visited planet. (Not including Earth, of course.) The danger to spacecraft orbiting Jupiter isn't running into things, it's the intense radiation.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Any post with "Sargasso" gets a thumbs up in my book.
Now try for "miasma" and you'll really be on a roll.
I think we should look closer at Venus- we kinda gave up on as just "the greenhouse-effect planet". and because we cant see shit from orbit like we can on Mars.
Speaking of which, I've been waiting over a year for a company that makes bueatiful (and NASA-accurate!) globes of mars to resume production.
Fuck, it's a cool looking planet.
Posted by Shakaar (Member # 1782) on :
*nods* even a distant orbit of Jupiter would be better. Of all the things we can study, Pluto rates very low in my book.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
What happened to that mission back to Mercury!?!
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
Some friends and I went down to watch the launch from Titusville on Tuesday. It kept getting delayed and and we kept hanging out on the other side of the river from KSC as it was pushed back five or ten minutes over and over again. Eventually, it was scrubbed for the day and we returned to Daytona.
On Thursday, one friend and I went down again to try and catch it. But this time, if it didn't go off on time, we would have to miss it, since my friend had a meeting he had to be back for. And...it was delayed. We hung out as long as we could but eventually had to start back. While still in Titusville my friend's coworked who works at the Cape and had been giving us regular updates calls and says it's go for launch in the next five minutes. We quickly pull into a parking lot by a bridge and wait.
Delayed. Again.
Very frustrated at this point, we hope in the car and head home. While on I-95, my friend's coworker calls again to tell us it's go, so we pull over onto the side of the road and get the best view we can.
It's a little dissapointing that we didn't get the view that we were going for, but at least we got to see it, and I have it on video, which I might post if I get around to it.
But in all, the delaying of that rocket was ridiculous. Winds were barely over the limit the entire time; at one point, they were in there safety margins for wind, but instead of proceeding from their four minute hold right then and launching at 3:09, they for whatever reason decided to wait until the last possible minute of the launch window at 3:23, by which time the winds were over acceptable limits again.
I'm sure they had good reasons for delaying so much and yes, they are rocket scientists and I have no real base to criticize the decisions they make and of course they need to be careful with rockets and payloads as important as this one, but damnit if it isn't frustrating to people who care so much and try to be enthusiastic and supportive.
Oh well, I saw it, in a fashion, and in ten years I'll be able to tell my nephew that I was there when that rocket went up, that which will be all the way to Pluto.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Er....this baby has a nuclear power supply- so "barely over the limit" could have become "and those reckless morons at NASA allowed it to go up in unsafe conditions, leading to a huge ecological disaster...."
I'm sure that NASA's official word on the people having to wait for another launch is "Fuck 'em."
Posted by Shakaar (Member # 1782) on :
The nuclear power supply the probe uses only creates 400W of electricty to run craft's computer. A huge ecological disaster would not occur if it crashed- though it would be bad PR, and people would flip out... cause they were already flipping out that it had radioactive elements onboard.
Posted by Pensive's Wetness (Member # 1203) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: Er....this baby has a nuclear power supply- so "barely over the limit" could have become "and those reckless morons at NASA allowed it to go up in unsafe conditions, leading to a huge ecological disaster...."
I'm sure that NASA's official word on the people having to wait for another launch is "Fuck 'em."
quote:Originally posted by Shakaar: The nuclear power supply the probe uses only creates 400W of electricty to run craft's computer. A huge ecological disaster would not occur if it crashed- though it would be bad PR, and people would flip out... cause they were already flipping out that it had radioactive elements onboard.
true, true, true...
and when was this last official deployment of something to Mercury?
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
I remember this little fact from a few years back, i don't remember the source or if it's even true. But it said that every human being on the planet has some Plutonium atoms in thier system because a nuclear powered satelite fell to earth and exploded spreadying the plutonium into the atmosphere. Has anyone else heard anything similar?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
As far as the launch delays go, I expect the folks at NASA are more interested in getting the probe safely into space so they can make the scientific studies they devote their lives to, then in a bunch of slack-jawed yokels who "wanna see tha rocker-ship go up".
No offense.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Da_bang80: I remember this little fact from a few years back, i don't remember the source or if it's even true. But it said that every human being on the planet has some Plutonium atoms in thier system because a nuclear powered satelite fell to earth and exploded spreadying the plutonium into the atmosphere. Has anyone else heard anything similar?
That may account for my telekinetic abilities, Liam's ability to morph into anything he wants, Jason's ability to control fire, Simon's superspeed, LOA's super strength and Tim's ability to err. grow and shorten the length of his nails.
Apologies to Family Guy.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
quote:Originally posted by Da_bang80: I remember this little fact from a few years back, i don't remember the source or if it's even true. But it said that every human being on the planet has some Plutonium atoms in thier system because a nuclear powered satelite fell to earth and exploded spreadying the plutonium into the atmosphere. Has anyone else heard anything similar?
I would doubt this- Plutonium is very rare, we are awash in radiation though at all times, and do have radioactive elements in us. Carbon 14 is radioactive, and all carbon contains carbon 14- this is how we "carbon date" things, via what the half-life of the carbon 14 is. Coal burning energy plants have released much more radiation into our environment than the nuclear industry has.
Posted by Dukhat (Member # 341) on :
I still can't believe that no one has yet picked up on the fact that there's an object in our solar system (or beyond it, depending on your point of view) named Buffy.
Anyway, there's a probe on it's way to Mercury called Messenger. Also, I believe there's a probe on it's way to Venus called Venus Express. There's an ESA spacecraft called SMART-1 in orbit around the Moon which is expected to impact sometime in August, making it the first spacecraft to land (crash) on the lunar surface since the mid-'90's, when Lunar Prospector crashed into the Moon's north (or south?) pole.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dukhat: I still can't believe that no one has yet picked up on the fact that there's an object in our solar system (or beyond it, depending on your point of view) named Buffy.
We railed agianst such abject stupidity when it was first announced.
I still hate when people pronounce Pluto's moon Charon with a soft "sh" sound.
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
Pronouced with a soft sound, it sound's like it comes form essex, not orbiting Pluto. By the way, is the 'a' meant to be soft or hard? (kharon/kay-ron)
TGB
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Buffy? I'm waiting till they find Willow or Faith Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
Mmm. Can you get lesbian Plutinos?
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
Mmmm. Lesbian Planetoids! I think you just found the worlds newest Porn fad! Planets of the Solar System Uncut! Nude and Naughty Stellar Bodies!
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
You do realize that "Buffy" is not an official name? It will probably get a name when the IAU meets in August.
B.J.
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
Yes. Yes we do. Spoilsport.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
I know *you* do, but that comment was aimed directly at Dukhat.
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
quote:Er....this baby has a nuclear power supply- so "barely over the limit" could have become "and those reckless morons at NASA allowed it to go up in unsafe conditions, leading to a huge ecological disaster...."
I'm sure that NASA's official word on the people having to wait for another launch is "Fuck 'em."
No. Had the rocket exploded during launch, the worst possible case scenario would be that people affected would receive 80% of the radiation they would typically absorb in a year. Not a giant deal. And if it were truly unsafe, NASA would never have let the thing be built and launched in the first place.
quote: As far as the launch delays go, I expect the folks at NASA are more interested in getting the probe safely into space so they can make the scientific studies they devote their lives to, then in a bunch of slack-jawed yokels who "wanna see tha rocker-ship go up".
No offense.
Yes, this is true. But my main issue is not with robbing slack-jawed yokels and gangly tourists of their afternoon show. Rather, my issue is that with this mentality prevalent, spaceflight will never achieve the type of reliability and dependability that an established infrastructure requires. Yes, NASA is safety concious and rightfully so. The problem is that they are too safety concious, to the point where they are playing things so safe they aren't playing at all. And quite a few people in NASA agree with me.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
"And if it were truly unsafe, NASA would never have let the thing be built and launched in the first place."
NASA cut corners? Unpossible!
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"The problem is that they are too safety concious, to the point where they are playing things so safe they aren't playing at all."
Not really. I mean, they did end up launching it.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by B.J.: You do realize that "Buffy" is not an official name? It will probably get a name when the IAU meets in August.
B.J.
Yes, but I hope they go "Oh what the hell - just leave them as Buffy, Xena and Gabrielle.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Ginger Beacon: Pronouced with a soft sound, it sound's like it comes form essex, not orbiting Pluto. By the way, is the 'a' meant to be soft or hard? (kharon/kay-ron)
TGB
Aincent Greek does not have the soft "sh" sound. "Charon" sounds like "Karen" or sometimes "Care-on". I've heard ot butchered as badly as "Char-On" (in the wildly inaccurate Clash of the Titans stop-motion-spectacular!)
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
"sh" is not the only sound that Ancient Greek didn't have, but that doesn't stop people from using them...
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
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