NEW HORIZONS. The First Mission To the Ninth Planet And the Solar System s s Third Zone

Transcription

1 NEW HORIZONS NASA s s Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission: The First Mission To the Ninth Planet And the Solar System s s Third Zone

2 NEW HORIZONS 1029 Days Since Launch 0625 Days Since Jupiter 2433 Days Still To Pluto

3 NEW HORIZONS

4 A MISSION OF FIRSTS

5 PLUTO S DISCOVERY Pluto was discovered in January- February 1930, by Clyde Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory, Arizona. Pluto is a Small, Distant World <1% Mars s Max Apparent Diameter (0.1 arcsec) And 50,000 times fainter than Mars (V~14)

6 BEST HST IMAGES HST Observations (1994): Strong Surface Variegation Polar Features Stern, Buie, & Trafton (1997) True Color Map (Young et al.)

7 SURFACE COMPOSITION Douté et al 1999, Icarus 142 CO CO N 2 CH 4 discovered N 2 and CO ices were discovered in the 1990s. The CH 4 and CO distribution is patchy. N 2 dominates ~10:1. Pluto s surface contains at least three volatiles, each with different physio-chemical properties.

8 ATMOSPHERE First detected in 1985 and 1988 by a clear refractive signature, seen in stellar occultations; the surface pressure is ~10 µbar. Quasi-Bound N 2, CO, & CH 4, plus trace photo- chemical species. Evidence for haze and/or temperature T(z) structure. Strong seasonal effects are expected. The atmosphere is likely hydrodynamically escaping, several km of ices lost in 4 Gyr. Both the 2002 and 2006 occultations revealed distinct structural & pressure changes.

9 AND A CHANGED ATMOSPHERE NOW 2006 June 12/AAT Occultation Lightcurve Dick French and Kevin Shoemaker SwRI/Lowell/Wellesley Team

10 PLUTO S LARGE MOON: CHARON Charon was discovered, by accident, in July 1978 by Jim Christy of the U.S. Naval Observatory. Charon is in synchronous orbit ~19,400 km from Pluto, and spinspin-orbit locked with a 6.4 day period. Charon s surface is covered in H 2 O-ice; there is no detectable atmosphere. 0.9 arc-sec

11 BUT THIS DOUBLE SYSTEM IS A QUADRUPLE Nix Hydra Weaver, Stern, Mutchler, Steffl, et al. (2005)

12 SATELLITE ORIGIN A giant impact origin for Pluto- Charon was first suggested in the 1980s (McKinnon 1984, 1989). Numerical models seem incapable of plausibly producing Charon otherwise (Stern, McKinnon, & Lunine 1997; Canup 2005). The giant impact was further strengthened by the discoveries of Nix and Hydra in co-planar orbits to Charon.

13 DON T JUDGE THIS BOOK BY ITS COVER From the Densities of Pluto & Charon, One Can Derive Crude Interior Models Pluto is a primarily rocky, not icy body!

14 PLUTO HERALDED A NEW CLASS OF PLANET A Dwarf Planet and A True Binary World Charon s radius is 50% of Pluto s. Charon s mass is about 10% of Pluto s. The mutual barycenter is between the two.

15 LONE MISFIT? Old View: 4 Terrestrial Planets 4 Giant Planets 1 Misfit Pluto

16 MISFIT NOT! PLUTO S ABOUND New View: 4 Terrestrial Planets 4 Giant Planets Perhaps 1000 Dwarf Planets

17 US DECADAL SURVEY: PLUTO-KUIPER BELT MISSION The Highest Priority Medium-Scale Mission New Start Of The Planetary Decadal Survey A Reconnaissance Expedition To Pluto-Charon & the Kuiper Belt

18 NASA S S PLUTO MISSION MEASUREMENT OBJECTIVES Group 1 Objectives: Characterize the global geology and morphology of Pluto and Charon Map surface composition of Pluto and Charon Characterize the neutral atmosphere of Pluto and its escape rate Group 2 Objectives: Characterize the time variability of Pluto's surface and atmosphere Image Pluto and Charon in stereo Map the terminators of Pluto and Charon with high resolution Map the composition of selected areas of Pluto & Charon at high resolution Characterize Pluto's ionosphere and solar wind interaction Search for neutral species including H, H 2, HCN, and C x H y, and other hydrocarbons and nitriles in Pluto's upper atmosphere Search for an atmosphere around Charon Determine bolometric Bond albedos for Pluto and Charon Map the surface temperatures of Pluto and Charon Group 3 Objectives: Required Important Desired Characterize the energetic particle environment of Pluto and Charon Refine bulk parameters (radii, masses, densities) and orbits of Pluto & Charon Search for magnetic fields of Pluto and Charon Search for additional satellites and rings

19 SO WE PROPOSED IT, WON IT, AND BUILT IT

20

21 AT THE CAPE: NOV 2005

22 SPACECRAFT BLOCK DIAGRAM Pressure P Transducer Cat. Bed Temp Sensors On All REAs T A1 A2 A3 C1 C2 C3 Legend Checked Out OK Not Checked Out Checked Out With Issue Checkout Not Planned PROPULSION GHe N 2 H 4 C4 D4 F1 F2 Filter Orifice P Fill/Vent Fill/Drain Still working Latch Valves B1 B2 B3 0.8 N ACS Thrusters D1 D2 D3 4.4 N V Thrusters External Shunts Internal Shunts PDU Thruster Valve Drive, Cat. Bed Heaters RTG Power Switching Current Limit (8 Slices) PDB (2) POWER SRU Shunt Regulator Drivers (15) Obs. Power Bus (30V +/- 1V) Command Decoder Auxiliary Interfaces Component Power THERMAL CONTROL Internal Heaters Majority Voter & TLM TLM Fine Sun Sensors Sun Pulse Sensors 1553 CMD/TLM Control (3) Mil Std 1553 Bus Auxiliary LVS GUIDANCE & CONTROL Star Tracker Star Tracker IMU IMU Capacitor Bank (33mF) BPA BPA INTEGRATED ELECTRONICS MODULE #1 G&C Processor G&C Processor BPA BPA C&DH Processor I 2 C I 2 C C&DH Processor RIO (7) RIO (7) COMMAND & DATA HANDLING DC/DC Converter, IEM Digital SSR 1PPS Cross Strap #2 INSTRUMENTS 1PPS Cross Strap #1 SSR C&DH (PCI Backplane) SDC RS-422 SWAP DC/DC Converter, IEM Digital PEPSSI RS-422 Instrument Interface RS-422 ALICE Instrument Interface C&DH (PCI Backplane) INTEGRATED ELECTRONICS MODULE #2 DC/DC Converter, Uplink/Downlink LVDS RS-422 RALPH LVDS RS-422 LORRI LVDS Downlink Tx Hybrid USO Downlink Tx USO REX, Reg. Range REX, Reg. Range CCD Uplink Rx Uplink Rx CCD EPC EPC DC/DC Converter, Uplink/Downlink Power Switching Commands RF COMMUNICATIONS LNA TWTA TWTA 1PPS Cross Strap #1 LNA Diplexer 1PPS Cross Strap #2 Power Switching Commands Modes and States 3A-T AS-T PS-T Switch Network 3A-N AS-N PS-N PS-H HGA MGA STRUCTURE HARNESS 3A-E AS-EA AS-SA Aft LGA Fwd LGA FLIGHT SOFTWARE C&DH 4.1 G&C 4.0 Boot 3.8 Autonomy 15 As of 9/28/07

23 SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD Instruments: REX radio science & radiometry RALPH VIS/IR imaging & spectroscopy ALICE UV imaging spectroscopy LORRI High-resolution imager SWAP plasma spectrometer PEPSSI energetic particle spectrometer SDC EPO Student Dust Counter

24 PAYLOAD FUNCTIONAL REDUNDANCY

25 OUR ATLAS V 551 LAUNCH VEHICLE 5-meter Short Payload Fairing (68 ft) Centaur Interstage Adapter (12.5 ft Dia) Centaur Conical Interstage Adapter CCB Cylindrical Interstage Adapter Centaur Forward Load Reactor Payload Adapter (PLA) Solid Rocket Boosters Aft Transition Skirt/Heat Shield RD-180 Engine Centaur Aft Stub Adapter Common Core Booster TM (CCB) Single RL10 Engine 5-Meter Payload Fairing Boattail Centaur Upper Stage

26 FINISHING TOUCHES

27 ALL ABOARD!

28 LAUNCH: 19 JAN 2006 GOING SUPERSONIC!

29 ROUTE OF FLIGHT

30 CRUISE 1 OPS L+60 L+ 64 Autonomy Rel. 12d L+75 CDH 3.5 load Instr. Comm. (4wks) L+ 106 Autonomy Rel. 12e (9wks) Instrument Calibration, Commissioning, MVIC OpNav(L+165), Interference test Autonomy Rel. 13 (DOY 188) Instrument Calibration & Commissioning Spin Mode L+211 (DOY 230) CDH 4.1 load (5wks) Instrument Calibration & Commissioning 3A L+253 (DOY 272) GC 4.0 load Instrument Calibration & Commissioning Spin Mode L+305 (DOY286) Autonomy Rel. 14 Solar Conjunction DOY L+365 3A-Enc mode c/o 5x8 2x8 5x8 2x8 3x8 2,7,9,5,3,3,3x8h/wk 2x8h/wk 3x8h/wk 2x8h/wk 7x8 3x PS-Hibernation PS-Normal PS-TCM AS-Normal AS-TCM AS-EA AS-SA 3A-Normal 3A-Encounter 3A-TCM Notes: 1. Timeline not to scale. 2. AU is Obs. distance from Earth

31 JUPITER FLYBY C/A Date Range 28 Feb R Jupiter Jupiter science included studies of Jovian meteorology, satellite geology and composition, Auroral phenomena, and magnetospheric physics.

32 JUPITER OBJECTIVES

33 SUCCESS: A BEVY OF NEW RESULTS

34 JOVIAN METEOROLOGY

35 WE OBSERVED IO ERUPTIONS GALORE At least 11 volcanic Plumes were detected. We obtained the most detailed view ever of a plume on Io. Tvashtar is near Io s North pole: always visible. Tvashtar stretches ~340 km above the surface. Tvashtar Prometheus Io night side illuminated by Jupiter Masubi

36 5 frames 8 minutes TVASHTAR MOVIE First direct measurements of plume dynamics. Ejection speed ~1 km/sec. Acceleration during descent. Apparently non-ballistic trajectories.

37 5 frames 8 minutes TVASHTAR MOVIE

38 5 frames 8 minutes TVASHTAR MOVIE

39 5 frames 8 minutes TVASHTAR MOVIE

40 5 frames 8 minutes TVASHTAR MOVIE

41 5 frames 8 minutes TVASHTAR MOVIE

42 VOLCANOES & RINGS

43 MAGNETOTAIL EXPLORATION Flying down Jupiter s deep magnetotail to perform the first traverse through a giant planet s magnetotail. Former Terra Incognita R J Equatorial Plane Noon-Midnight Plane ~300 R J

44

45 Farwell Jupiter

46 CRUISE 2 OVERVIEW Phase in PS-H J (9/07-11/07) Annual c/o #1 Precess 05/29/08 Precess 12/27/07 Precess 11/20/ (9/08-12/08) Annual c/o #2 Precess 06/09/09 Precess 12/18/ (9/09-11/09) (9/10-11/10) Annual c/o #3Annual c/o #4 TCM 10 TCM 11 (P-5y) Pluto Rehearsal 1 Precess 06/11/10 Precess 12/13/09 Precess 06/15/11 Precess 12/10/ (9/11-11/11) Annual c/o #5 TCM 12 Precess 11/25/ (6/12-8/12) Annual c/o #6 TCM 13 (P-3y) Precess 12/11/ (6/13-8/13) Annual c/o #7 TCM 14 Precess 12/20/13 Precess 10/13/ (6/14-8/14) Annual c/o#8 TCM 15 Pluto Rehearsal 2 P-1yr P-200 Weekly Beacon, monthly TM. contact in PS-H. 2-3x8h/wk for Annual C/O 7x 8h/d for Precess TCMs in 3A-TCM or AS-TCM OpNavs last annual c/o: 1 every 12hrs for 7 days Deep Dormancy PS-Hibernation PS-Normal PS-TCM AS-Normal AS-TCM AS-EA AS-SA 3A-Normal 3A-Encounter 3A-TCM

47 THEN IN 2015 WHAT WE CAME FOR Jan-Mar: Observatory Phase April: Begin Approach Phase 14 July: Closest Approach Aug-Dec: Data Downlink

48 ENCOUNTER PHASES Name Timing relative to Pluto c/a Absolutte time Approach phase 1 (AP1) P-6 months to P-101 days 2015 Jan Apr 4 (does not extend before conjuction) Approach phase 2 (AP2) P-100 days to P-22 days 2015 Apr Jun 22 Approach phase 3 (AP3) P-21 day to P-24 hours 2015 Jun July 13 11: 59: 59 Near encounter phase (NEP) P-24 hours to P+24 hours 2015 July 13 12: July 15 12: 00 Departure phase 1 (DP1) P+24 hours to P+21 day 2015 July 15 12: 00: Aug 4 Departure phase 2 (DP2) P+22 day to P+100 day 2015 Aug Oct 22 Departure phase 3 (DP3) P+101 day to P+6 month 2015 Oct Jan 5 (does not extend after conjuction) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov AP1 AP2 DP2 DP3 Dec AP3 NEP DP1

49 P-200(Dec 26, 2014) Ops Encounter Preparation Pluto Rehearsal #3 (Final) P-186 to 179(per YG study) Sci Obs 2x/day P-180 to 174 P-6mos Sci Obs 2x/day P-150 to 144 P-100 d Sci Obs. 2x/day P-120 to 114 PLUTO/CHARON BASELINE OPS PLAN TCM 16 Data cut off P-65 Sci Obs 2x/day P-90 to 84 TCM 16 P-60 Sci Obs 2x/day P-60 to 54 TCM 16 b/u P-40 Sci Obs 2x/day P-42 to 36 P-21 TCM 17 P-20 Sci Obs 2x/day P-30 to 24 P-14 Start SSR 2 usage Final SSR P/B Ephem data cut off P-21 d TCM 17 Data cutoff P-25 TCM 17 b/u P-10 Start Load P-7 to +2 P-3 Erase SSR P/B OpNav P-12 Knowledge Update Ephemeris P-2 Knowledge Update: Ephemeris, CB3 Time shift, C&DH Time Shift & Ralph Table Updates P-24 hrs to P+24 hrs Near Enc. Enc Mode P-7 Sci Obs 2x/day P-21 to +14 P-24 hrs Data Retrieval: First Look & Browse Pluto C/A P=0 (11:50 July 14, 2015) P+13 3x8h/wk 2x 8h/d Continuous 9h/d OpNavs: P-170 to P-130 P-100 to P-60 OpNavs: 1/day P-40 to P+2 P-100 P-82 P-68 P-54 P-40 P-21 P-7 P+1 AP 1 AP 2 AP 3 Constraints: NEP DP1 1. Timeline not to scale. PS-Hibernation AS-Normal 3A-Normal 2. Calibrations, etc. allowed PS-Normal AS-TCM 3A-Encounter outside of DSN contacts. PS-TCM AS-EA 3A-TCM 3. P=C/A of Pluto center 4. Time shift max 3sigma or ~450sec AS-SA 5. Loads are ~14d long ex. NEP is ~8d AP1 loads P-184, 170, 156, 142, 128, Doppler & Ranging on

50 ENCOUNTER GEOMETRY Charon-Earth Occultation 14:20:09 15:00 Pluto-Earth Occultation 12:52:30 Hydra S/C trajectory time ticks: 10 min Occultation: center time Position and lighting at Pluto C/A Distance relative to body center Charon-Sun Occultation 14:17:50 Pluto-Sun Occultation 12:51:28 14:00 Charon C/A 12:04:00 29,432 km km/s 13:00 Pluto C/A 11:50:00 13,695 km km/s 12:00 Nix Charon Pluto 11: Sun Earth Orbit Period a Charon 6.4 d 19,571 km Nix 24.9 d 48,675 km Hydra 38.2 d 64,780 km New Horizons Trajectory

51 NEAR ENCOUNTER FINAL HOURS

52 NEAR ENCOUNTER POST C/A

53 GATHERING REVOLUTIONARY DATA Six months of encounter science. Exceed Hubble resolution for months. Map Pluto and all three satellites. Make composition maps of Pluto & Charon. Map surface temperature fields. Directly measure Pluto s escape rate. Assay Pluto s atmospheric structure and composition. Determine if either Pluto or Charon differentiated. The most exciting discoveries will likely be the ones we Don t anticipate.

54 ANTICIPATING DRAMATIC RESULTS Triton from Voyager Triton & Pluto At Best HST Resolution

55 AND THEN ON TO KBOs:

56 BUT THE UNITED STATES CAN T DO THIS ALONE

57 WE CAN T DO THIS WITHOUT AUSTRALIA

58 WE CAN T DO THIS WITHOUT AUSTRALIA Thank You

59 BACKUP SLIDES

60 INSTRUMENT PAYLOAD