Getting Our First Pluto Fly-by in July
The best real images of the dwarf planet we’ve had so far is a white spec on a black background. At its closest point, NASA’s New Horizons mission will fly within 6,200 miles of Pluto’s surface. This will be the first time in history we’ve seen a true close up of our on again off again ninth and furthest planet.
The New Horizons mission launched in January 2006 with a cost of $700 million. The probe is currently almost 2.95 billion miles (4.75 billion km) from Earth, and it’s getting about 750,000 miles (1.2 million km) closer to Pluto every day.
One of the biggest dangers on this mission is the possible hazards for the probe on its path to the planet. While traveling at roughly 32,500 mph the smallest space debris (as small as a grain of rice) could be life threatening to the probe and mission that started almost ten years ago. Earlier this month, the mission team members began using New Horizons’ long-range camera to hunt for undiscovered moons, rings and other features in the Pluto system that could pose a danger to the spacecraft. So far things are steady as the first images captured on May 11 and May 12 at 47 million miles from Pluto didn’t reveal anything to be concerned about.
If any red flags come up the team could change course from it’s trajectory to one of three alternate routes up until July 4th. Once that date is passed they will have hit the point of no return on its current course. Another option considered is to point the probe’s antenna forward to use it as a shield. Most recent data suggests that the current trajectory is safe.
Full Aritcle at Space.com
Feature Photo By: Coppermine Gallery