New Horizon detector(English: New Horizons)yesNASA（NASA）At Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 19, 2006Kennedy Space CenterLaunchedPlutoDetector, whose main task is to detectPlutoAnd its largest satelliteCharon(Pluto I) and the probe are located atKuiper belt Small ofplanetGroup.
After the mission to investigate Pluto, the New Horizon will continue to fly farther away from the earth into space, and will arrive at the Koiper Belt, an intermediate ring composed of comets and other cosmic debris, from 2017 to 2020, to detect at least two objects with a diameter of 40 to 90 kilometersKuiper Belt ObjectsThis stage may last for 5 to 10 years.
New Horizon is the fastest ever launched by humansSpace probe, has flown past Pluto at 19:49 on July 14, 2015 Beijing time.
It became the fifth probe to leap over the solar system (Neptune orbit).
New Horizon (New Horizons) is rapidly leaving Pluto and entering the center of the Kuiper Belt.On August 29, 2015,NASA(NASA) announced the next destination of the probe: the Kuiper Belt object numbered 2014 MU69.
"New Horizon" is a NASA exploration program, which is mainly aimed at the exploration of Pluto, Pluto I, etcKuiper Belt ObjectsConduct investigation.The "New Horizon" is the fastest man-made flying object in human history. It takes only 13 months to reach the gravitational region of Jupiter, and it takes only nine hours to fly over the moon and orbit around the earth. Now, the "New Horizon" is about 31000 miles (49900 kilometers) per hour, and is about 152.7 billion miles (2.4 billion miles5.7 billion kilometers).
It flew past Pluto at 19:49 on July 14, 2015 Beijing time.
The New Horizon exploration project cost about 700 million dollars.Scientists believe that studying Pluto will help deepen the understanding of the formation of the solar system."New Horizon" is planned to reach Pluto in the middle of 2015, with a journey of 4.8 billion kilometers.Its mission also includes studying Pluto's main moon Pluto and two newly discoveredPluto satellite。The New Horizon probe will then enter theKuiper belt。Located on the outer edge of the solar system, the Kuiper Belt is considered to be composed of the residual material in the early formation of the solar system.
The director of the mission said that on December 29, 2009, New Horizon crossed the landmark boundary line, and since then it is closer to Pluto than to Earth."New Horizon" continues to move forward. This ship will be the first to fly over Pluto (once called a planet, now called a dwarf planet orPluto like dwarf planet）And fly to other celestial bodies lurking in the Kuiper Belt at the edge of the solar system.[1]
The world's fastest man-made aircraft is the famous New Horizon probe.It will embark on a long journey of about 5 billion kilometers, lasting for 9 and a half years.About 45 minutes after launch, New Horizon successfully separated from the carrier rocket.Its speed is up to about 58000 km/h (about 16 km/s), which is the fastest spacecraft launched by humans so far.Maybe you think it will cost a lot to build such a high-speed aircraft. In fact, the total budget of a complete set of exploration plans is only 700 million dollars.[2]
Work history
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New Horizon probes Pluto
firstLaunch window: January 17 - February 14, 2006, and arriving from 2015 to 2017.
The second launch window: February 2-15, 2007. If it is launched during this period, New Horizon will fly directly to Pluto and arrive from 2019 to 2020.
Mission level: the first mission of NASA's "Xinjiang Boundary" exploration program
Contractor: Southwest Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Launch vehicle: Atlas V551 rocket (AV-010) developed by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) is equipped with STAR-48B third stage solid booster engine developed by ATK
Launch site: Launch pad 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, Florida, USA
On June 8, 2001, the New Horizon mission plan was formally adopted by NASA.
On June 13, 2005, NASA officially tested the New Horizon probe.
On January 11, 2006, the main launch window was opened and the detector made the final test.
On 16 January 2006, the Atlas V551 rocket was moved to the launch pad.
On January 17, 2006, the launch was delayed due to strong winds.
On 18 January 2006, the launch was again postponed due to the temporary interruption of power supply.
January 19, 2006, 14:00 EDT（Coordinated Universal Time(UTC) 19:00), the New Horizon probe was successfully launched.(When the engine was finally turned off, the relative speed with the earth reached 16.26KM/s, making it the fastest detector ever launched. It crossed the lunar orbit less than nine hours later.)
New Horizon spacecraft leaps over Jupiter
On April 7, 2006, the New Horizon probe passed through the orbit of Mars.
In early May 2006, the detector enteredAsteroid belt。
At 04:05 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on June 13, 2006, the probe and an asteroid numbered 132524 APL passed at 101867 km and took photos.
In late October 2006, the detector leftAsteroid belt。
On November 28, 2006, the probe took the first photo of an asteroid.
On January 8, 2007, the New Horizon probe began to explore Jupiter.
On January 10, 2007, the detector observedGanymede XVII(Callirrhoe)。
Jupiter's moon
On February 28, 2007, at 05:43:40 UTC, the New Horizon probe flew over Jupiter, with the nearest distance of 2305000 km and the speed of 21.219 km/s.
On March 5, 2007, the Jupiter exploration ended. In order to save power, New Horizon went into sleep after that.
Caron rotates around Pluto (far view)
On June 8, 2008, the New Horizon probe passed throughSaturnTrack.
On December 29, 2009, the New Horizon probe crossed the midpoint of the line between the Earth and Pluto, about 1.527 billion miles (2.457 billion kilometers) away from the Earth. Since then, the probe has been closer to Pluto than to the Earth.
On March 18, 2011, the New Horizon probe passed throughUranusTrack.
On August 24, 2014, the New Horizon probe passed throughNeptuneTrack.
On December 8, 2014, the New Horizon probe was successfully awakened.In order to save power consumption, 1873 days of sleep, equivalent to two-thirds of the flight time, were accumulated on the way, and then began to send back images of Pluto's system.
On July 14, 2015, at 11:49 UTC, the New Horizon probe flew over Pluto, with the nearest distance of 13695 kilometers and the speed of 13.78 kilometers per second;At 12:00 UTC, we flew over Triton with the nearest distance of 29473 kilometers, 13.87 kilometers per second.It is also measured that Pluto is about 2370 kilometers in diameter and Charon is about 1208 kilometers in diameter.It became the first probe to leap over Pluto, sending back a large number of images and data of Pluto and its satellite Charon,
NASA, February 6, 2017New Horizon detectorSix distant objects in the Kuiper Belt were imaged in six days, and the engine was started to correct the flight trajectory, starting to sprint towards the goal of two years later -- the small objects in the Kuiper Belt "ends of the earth".[3]
In 2019, the New Horizon spacecraft left the solar system.[4]
Pluto's moons
On January 1, 2019, a NASA spaceship "New Horizon" flew over the most distant celestial body ever studied by mankind.New Horizon flew over an asteroid called Ultima Thule, which is more than 6.4 billion kilometers away from the Earth.[5]
A picture of Jupiter taken by New Horizon as it flew over Jupiter
The whole ship, including propellant, weighs about 450 kilograms (1000 pounds), and the nuclear power generator is composed ofUS Department of EnergyThe engine room with thermos design is provided to ensure that all instruments and machinery can work in a safe environment.The shipboard regenerative ranging memory used for the first time will acquire 30 dB more data and use eight different identification signals to display the health status of the detection ship. The advanced digital receiver can save 60% of the power consumption. It is equipped with three-dimensional phase andgyroscopeSixteen nozzles are used to control the position of the hull, so as to correct the channel, observe the target, and adjust the speed.Change direction approachKuiper Belt Objects。Use improved“hibernation”The device can save valuable fuel, including nuclear power cell. Other main auxiliary instruments include: star tracking navigator and data recorder, which carry the finder of PlutoClyde Tombaugh (Clyde William Tombaugh)ashes of the deadOne is the American flag, and the other is a CD with the names of nearly 450000 netizens who signed on the website "Flying to Pluto".[6]
Scientific instruments
Ralph
High definition color maps and devices for the surface composition of Pluto and its Charon (Ralph）。The equipment is mainly composed of multi spectral visible imaging camera (MVIC) and linear standard imaging spectral array (LEISA).MVIC operates in the visible light range and has four different filters.One is used to measure methane frost distributed on the surface, and the other covers blue, red and near-infrared spectral areas respectively.In addition, there are two panchromatic filters that allow all visible light to pass through when measuring distant objects that emit low light, thus maximizing the sensitivity of the instrument.The light passing through the filter is focused on an electric coupler, and the camera can generate a color map.LEISA uses thermal radiation to work in the infrared spectrum. It can bend light of different wavelengths at different ratios like a prism, so that each light can be analyzed separately.According to quantum physics, different molecules radiate and absorb light of different wavelengths. Therefore, we can identify different molecules by analyzing the components of light.It will be used to describe the methane frost, nitrogencarbon monoxide, water and the distribution of water ice on the surface of Triton.
REX
Radioactive experimental apparatus（REX）。It consists of a small piece of advanced electronic equipment integrated into the detector communication systemPrinted circuit boardIt is the key to the success of the exploration mission.When the probe flies to Pluto, its 83 inch radio antenna will point to Earth.NASA's powerful deep space networkRadio transmitterAt the same time, aim the new vision detector and send a signal to it.When the detector flies to the back of Pluto, Pluto's atmosphere will bend the radio waves. The degree of bending depends on the average weight of gas molecules and atmospheric temperature.At this time, the instrument sends the recorded radio wave data back to the earth for analysis.The instrument also has a radiation measurement mode, which can measure the weak electromagnetic radiation of Pluto itself.When the detector looks back after flying over Pluto, it can accurately measure Pluto's night temperature.
Alice
ultraviolet raysimaging spectrometer （Alice）。It is used to detect the composition of Pluto's atmosphere. It can not only separate the light from different components like a prism, but also form images of objects with different wavelengths.
Remote Survey Imager (LORRI）。It is composed of a 20.8 cm aperture telescope, which can focus the visible light on the electric coupler to produce a high spatial resolution image.When the probe reaches the nearest point to Pluto, it will take a high-resolution image.
Solar wind analyzer (SWAP）。It can be used to measure charged particles from the solar wind near Pluto to determine whether the planet has a magnetic circle and its atmospheric escape speed.
LORRI
High-energy particleSpectrum analyzer (PEPSSI）。It can be used to find neutral atoms escaping from Pluto's atmosphere.When these atoms escape, they interact with the solar wind and become charged particles.
Dust counter（SDC）。It will measure along the orbitKuiper Belt ObjectsThe size of dust particles produced by collision, including interstellar space that has never been sampled.These instruments will portray a new image of the distant planet when the New Horizon flies to Pluto.[7]
dynamic system
New Horizon mission logo
The New Horizon spacecraft is powered by a nuclear battery, which usesradio isotopePlutonium dioxideThe heat released during natural decay is used to generate electricity in the form of thermocouples.Since Pluto is too far away from the sun, it takes four hours for sunlight to go from the sun to Pluto. The solar energy that can be accepted near Pluto is only one thousandth of that of the Earth. The probe ship cannot use solar energy to generate sufficient energy for activities. Therefore, nuclear energy batteries are the only option.In fact, allSpace probeAll adopt the same design, including“Cassini”Probe ship.
The probe ship has an engine to provide steering power, which is used to adjust the phase of the probe ship. During almost ten years of sailing time, it can correct the orbit to Pluto.When the probe ship approaches Pluto, adjust the hull so that all detectors pointPluto。After flying over Pluto, we need to adjust the hull for observationCharonAfter the detection is completed, the ship body shall be calibrated again to makeHigh gain antennaPoint to the earth and send the collected data back to the earth.This design is due to budget constraints. The "New Horizon" probe ship cannot use the rotary platform like its predecessors "Voyager" 1 and 2. It can simply execute instructions, but can only complete tasks by adjusting the hull phase, which is a more complex method.
communication system
The "New Horizon" probe ship was installed with a diameter of 2.1 meters (83 inches)gainAntenna, which can be connected with the earth'sDeep space networkKeep in touch, receive instructions from the earth, and send the collected scientific data back to the earth.In addition, the low gain antenna installed directly above the high gain antenna is the backup of the high gain antenna for emergency.The high gain antenna has two bands for receiving and transmitting signals,spectrumWide, high upload and download speed. In contrast, the low gain antenna has only one narrow band, which is less efficient. However, it can replace the high gain antenna in an emergency.
carrier
New Horizon working plan
The "New Horizon" Pluto probe was carried by the Altas-V551 rocket and launched from the launch pad 41 of the Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, to launch the probe into outer spaceCentaur(Centaur) rocket was sent into orbit around the earth, and finally the star 48B (STAR 48B) solid fuel rocket burst out of the gravity of the earth and flew to Pluto.
(The initial launch speed is 59384 kilometers per hour). It takes less than nine hours to fly over the moon and orbit the earth. It takes only 13 months to reach the gravitational region of Jupiter, and it takes three days to fly the same journey as the Apollo moon landing mission in the 1960s“Galileo”It also takes four years to fly to Jupiter, and the speed of New Horizon is amazing.
Payload
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Payload: 7 instruments.Ralph, a 6 cm aperture telescope consisting of a multispectral visible imaging camera and a linear standard imaging spectral array (LEISA);Alice, UVimaging spectrometer ；LORRI, remote exploration imager, including a 20.8 cm aperture telescope and a CCD imager;SWAP, solar wind analyzer, used to measure charged particles of solar wind near Pluto;PEPSSI, high-energy particle spectrometer, used to find neutral atoms;SDC，Dust counter。REX, a radio scientific instrument, has the same function as the microwave radiometer. It can also record the received deep space online spectra during occultation experiments.[8]
Technical difficulties
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Crossing the solar system
In the last eight years of the New Horizon Pluto trip, the staff will check and adjust the entire probe and its instruments, correct its flight trajectory, and prepare for approaching Pluto.
Stellar debris
Caron revolves around Pluto
On October 16, 2012, with the approval of the working groupHubble Space TelescopeThe New Horizon team published an article after discovering two new satellites and numerous star fragments of Pluto, pointing out that New Horizon may be destroyed byPluto satelliteStar debris in orbit, so the working group is studying whether to change the orbit of New Horizon to avoid collision with these debris and protect New Horizon.[9]
Exploration task
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Explore Pluto
NASA's New Horizons probe
NASA's "New Horizons" probe will reach Pluto orbit in two months. NASA scientists are observing whether Pluto system has undiscovered satellite or ring structure through the remote reconnaissance camera system on the probe.Because the detector will pass Pluto at a close distance, if we do not find the existing debris ring, the detector may hit and be scrapped.The first flyby of New Horizon was on July 14. According to the information from the mission team of the probe, we will use the remote reconnaissance camera to observe Pluto every week. As the distance keeps approaching, we will thoroughly find out whether there are any undiscovered objects around Pluto.
Alan Stern, a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, is the main researcher of the probe. He believes that if we call Curiosity's entry into the Martian atmosphere a seven minute horror, then the Pluto mission can be called a seven week suspense.In the next time, we will constantly observe the orbit around Pluto to determine whether there are undiscovered satellites or debris rings.[10]
On July 14, 2015,NASAThe Pluto probe "New Horizon" sent back a batch of the clearest pictures of Pluto so far, which not only found a shadow area nicknamed "The Whale", but also revealed a heart shape on the surface of Pluto.
The light color light and shadow of this "perfect heart" span about 2000 kilometers.There is a dark light and shadow area nearby, which is called "whale" by scientists.In addition, scientists also found from photos earlier that Pluto's poles are particularly bright, perhaps covered with nitrogen ice.[11]
"Heart shaped dark spot" is named Tangboban. Its discoverer's name is an ice field composed of liquefied nitrogen.[12]
Follow up plan
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The New Horizon II exploration ship plan is the backup plan of the original plan.It is planned to use the same design to build another probe ship, which will leave the Earth on March 19, 2008, fly over Jupiter on August 12, 2009, fly over Uranus on October 7, 2015, and fly to 1999 TC36 on September 15, 2020. It is a Kuiper Belt object located 31 astronomical units away from the Earth.TC36 is huge. Compared with any Kuiper Belt object visited by New Horizon I, TC36 is ten times larger. Even its moon is two to three times larger than other Kuiper Belt objects, which is of great scientific exploration value.After flying over TC36, New Horizon II can also observe one or two smaller Kuiper Belt objects.If "New Horizon" II can set sail smoothly as planned, it will ensure that the whole "New Horizon" plan will surely achieve fruitful results.
The attraction of the New Horizon II exploration ship plan is that you can visit many stars in one trip. If you miss this opportunity, the next cruise of Uranus Kuiper Belt objects will not start until 2050.In addition, because the exploration ship is designed off the shelf, it saves a lot of research funds and time.The plan is still under discussion and needs to be approved by NASA;In late September 2004, the United States Congress has allocated additional funds for the feasibility study of the plan.If the plan is successfully passed, in addition to the first exploration of 1999 TC36, it will also be the second visit to Uranus 30 years after Voyager II in 1986.
On track adjustment to reach the new target in 2019
NASA's New Horizons probe has successfully conducted four maneuvers, heading for the Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69.The object is 1 billion miles from Pluto, and NASA has approved the extensionNew Horizon NoDuring the mission time, the probe will arrive at 2014 MU69 before January 2019.These four maneuvers were the most remote deep space orbit correction in history. The on-board computer of New Horizons loaded new flight procedures, and the process lasted less than 20 minutes.
The operator of the New Horizon detector is the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The detector has received a fine adjustment command of 57 meters per second, which can make the New Horizon close to the 2014 MU69 object in just three years.Kotter, the project scientist of New Horizons, pointed out that this is an exciting moment, and the probe has started an interesting journey.The proposal of the mission extension plan of New Horizons mentioned that the probe will fly over the 2014 MU69 object at a distance of about 12000 kilometers to make a detailed observation of this distant Kuiper Belt object.
at presentNew Horizon NoAll the instruments are normal. According to the monitoring data, the detector is very healthy. In 2019, we will meet the Kuiper object, which is the first time we haveKuiper Belt ObjectsDetect.Alan Stern, the chief scientist of New Horizons, believes that,Kuiper beltThere are a lot of similar objects on the. We chose representative objects that fly close enough.Gaby Rogers, the system guidance and control engineer of the detector, believes that everything about the orbit change maneuver is perfect, and the direction of the detector is very accurate,
During the track change,New Horizon detectorAbout 135 million miles from Pluto, it is still in the stage of data transmission.New Horizons, as an important member of NASA's new frontier program, will unveil the celestial veil beyond Pluto's system.Johns Hopkins University The scientists of the Applied Physics Laboratory pointed out that the design, construction and operation of the detector were in the charge of the physics laboratory, and the scientists' tasks and payload operations were from the Southwest Research Institute of the United States.[13]
Gone forever and will eventually fly out of the solar system
The Voyager series probes let us contact the interstellar space outside the heliosphere for the first time, increasing our understanding of the solar system. However, it still takes a long time for the New Horizon probe to reach the edge of the solar system, before which the New Horizon will enterKuiper beltFind the mystery of the origin of planets.At present, Voyager 1 is faster than Voyager 2. They all carry objects representing human civilization, such as metal discs. New Horizon even carries the ashes of the discoverer of Pluto.If the future mankind has advanced interstellar navigation technology, it is possible to catch up with and surpass them.
Comments from all parties
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Jim Green, director of the Planetary Science Division of NASA headquarters in Washington, USA: NASA's first exploration mission to the distant Pluto will also be the first close exploration of the cold and never explored world in our solar system by all mankind.The "New Horizon" team worked very hard and was well prepared to enter the first stage, with flawless performance.
Alan Stern, the chief researcher of New Horizon and a member of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, USA, said: The journey of New Horizon is the longest of all spacecraft.
world record
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At 5:33 on January 1, 2019, NASA's "New Horizons" probe flew to 3538 kilometers away from the Koiper Belt, 486958 asteroid "Alox", 1.61 billion kilometers away from Pluto, setting a Guinness World era for the farthest solar system celestial body exploration missionRecord.[14]
