New Horizons I (and II!) Mission Update Thread

[mikeemmert]

Could the IR images have revealed the ejecta blankets of Valhalla and Aesgard craters? Did the impactors punch through to the mantle? Or was the ovrall composition of the impactors different from the mantle?<br /><br />Stay tuned!

 

[3488]

Hi Mikeemmert.<br /><br />I wonder that too. The Galileo orbiter did suggest that Callisto's ice crust was breached to a great depth in both Valhalla & Asgard, then slushy cryovolcanic icy lava filled in the gaping hole & froze solid. The mountains slowly collapsed under their weight (bearing in mind that Callisto's surface gravitiy is just 11.6% of Earth's, weaker than our moon's 16.7%).<br /><br />Callisto has a maximum surface temperature of minus 118 Celsius, so pretty warm for an object this far out from the Sun (minimum before dawn minus 210 C), but it is dark & hasa slow rotation, so the surface can warm up a bit in the weak sunlight. Saturn's moon Iapetus also has this 'warm' phenomenon for the same reason.<br /><br />New Horizons will provide a more detailed IR spectrum & nail down precisly the make up of the floors of Valhalla & Asgard.<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Report for New Horizons:<br /><br />On Approach: Jupiter and Io.<br /><br />This image was taken on Monday, January 8, 2007, with the New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), while the spacecraft was about 81 million kilometers (about 50 million miles) from Jupiter. <br /><br />Jupiter's volcanic moon Io is to the right; the planet's Great Red Spot is also visible. <br /><br />The image was one of 11 taken during the Monday, January 8, 2007 approach sequence, which signaled the opening of the New Horizons Jupiter encounter. <br /><br />Even in these early approach images, Jupiter shows a different face than what previous visiting spacecraft - such as Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Galileo and Cassini - have seen. Regions around the equator and in the southern tropical latitudes seem remarkably calm, even in the typically turbulent "wake" behind the Great Red Spot. <br /><br />The New Horizons science team will scrutinize these major meteorologic <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Amazing picture! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Thanx, what a great image. Please save it, I am trying to get a new NH thread started for the Jupiter encounter part of the mission, as this thread is approaching the 600 post limit, and I'm guessing the next few months will be very intense, based on this image!!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

Yes. It is probably time to pin this one again as the Jupiter encounter heats up. I daresay we will very quickly reach the 600 post limit. The Mods could start a New Horizons Mission Pt. 2 (Jupiter Encounter) thread. <br /><br />I had been following this mission for many years before it finally got the go ahead and was very keen to drum up interest as it finally got off the ground. I really admire all the people who have worked so hard for so many years to make this mission a reality.<br /><br />My own PhD pressures are now building and limiting considerably the time I can spend on SDC, so I barely have time to read through the interesting posts let alone make substantive posts. I look forward to the science and discussion of the data that emerges from the Jupiter encounter though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi all,<br /><br />These two images from 80 million km (the one in a previous post above included) are amazing & must be approaching HST quality & already at this early stage exceed those taken by Pioneer 10 & Pioneer 11. <br /><br />Cannot wait to see what the currect state of volcanic activity on Io is!! I wonder if Prometheus is still active after all these years?? It looks as if we will get new info on all of the Galileans, Himalia & Elara. Cannot find the preliminary results of the Callisto IR obs.<br /><br />Does anyone know where the other approach images of Jupiter are, taken on Monday 8th January 2007?<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />This image was taken on Monday, January 8, 2007, with the New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), while the spacecraft was about 81 million kilometers (about 50 million miles) from Jupiter. <br /><br />Jupiter's Red Spot Junior is seen here boxed.<br /><br />The image was one of 11 taken during the Monday, January 8, 2007 approach sequence, which signaled the opening of the New Horizons Jupiter encounter. <br /><br />Even in these early approach images, Jupiter shows a different face than what previous visiting spacecraft - such as Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Galileo and Cassini - have seen. Regions around the equator and in the southern tropical latitudes seem remarkably calm, even in the typically turbulent "wake" behind the Great Red Spot. <br /><br />The New Horizons science team will scrutinize these major meteorological features - including the unexpectedly calm regions - to understand the diverse variety of dynamical processes on the solar system's largest planet. These include the newly formed Little Red Spot, the Great Red Spot and a variety of zonal features.<br /><br />Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute.<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

Sweetness! I am extremely excited about this upcoming flyby. The gas giants have always fascinated me, and though Jupiter has been visited by more probes than any other giant (thanks in part to its gravity well, so useful for "slingshot" maneuvers), this is every bit as exciting as the last flyby.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing the pic! New Horizons is gonna rock when it gets to Pluto. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi CalliArcale,<br /><br />Cannot agree more. As you say, Jupiter has received more visitors than any other giant planet because of its immense gravity well (318 times more powerful than Earth's), but Jupiter always changes, the weather although always violent is evolving, & not to mention four planet sized & mass moons, all totally different to one another (including my fave Io, to which I am trying to convince NASA to send a dedicated mission).<br /><br />It is quite an Oxymoron, that although dwarf planet Pluto is the destination, New Horizons will already have seen its largest & most interesting targets well before.<br /><br />However, Pluto, Charon, Nis & Hydra have never been seen well before (or the Kuiper Belt generally) & we will see if our assumptions whether or not Pluto is like Triton is correct (I think Pluto is more primitive). Charon with large quantities of crystalline ice is an enigma (like the KBO Quaoar).<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[halcyondays]

<<<<br />......including my fave Io, to which I am trying to convince NASA to send a dedicated mission.<br /> />>><br /><br />May I ask how you possibly intend to achieve that in the current environment, especially as I thought they were strapped for cash for new science/interplanetary missions ?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Andrew is very persistant <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> !!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi all, As Meteorwayne says, I am very persistant. <br /><br />Whilst futre Jovian systyem exploration is likely to focus on Europa, my proposed Io mission could run alongside. My intention, is to start with a mini re-run of the Galileo mission, after Jupiter insertion, for the Io orbiter to closely encounter all four Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede & Callisto) very closely to obtain super high reso images (perhaps less than 1 metre reso on all four at closest approach), gravity data, spectra, etc of all four, as well as observing Amalthea, Thebe & obviously Jupiter itself. <br /><br />Perhaps an asteroid encounter too during the outbound cruise through the asteroid belt.<br /><br />Once Io orbit is acheived, the orbiter will obtain global imagery of the volcanic moon at a consistant resolution. I would not expect it to last more than a week, due to the 4 megarad daily dose of radiation. I would love a lander included, equiped with cameras, tiltmeters, gas chromographs & seismometers, but that would be asking for too much!!<br /><br />Perhaps my proposals alongside a similar mission to Europa would reinstate what the Galileo orbiter started, Fire & Ice. Perhaps both could use the same launch vehicle.<br /><br />My point is that in many respects, Io has much to teach us about the early Earth (high temperature ultramafic volcanism), as well as active volcanic geology in its various forms, which may help predict volcanic eruptions on Earth as thus save many lives. Io anyway is worth it. <br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Below is a blow up / enhancement of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, looking at Io, from the New Horizons LORRI camera, Monday 8th January 2007.<br /><br />The detail is amazing (would not have thought that New Horizons was 80 million KM away from Jupiter at the time). <br /><br />As CalliArcale said, New Horizons will definately ro <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

Thanks for posting the images Andrew. This flyby is very exciting and I share your enthusiasm for Io.....can't wait. <br /><br />BTW I have just been out in the park opposite my house and Comet McNaught is spectacular - ah the wonders of this marvellous solar system!!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[halcyondays]

3488, thank you for the response to my question. However, it didn't answer the question, which was how will you persuade NASA, rather than what the mission would entail (although that was most interesting). I realize discussions may be confidential, nor do I know who you are (you may be the Astronomer Royal for all I know). So if it's not possible to say, I understand - and maybe you're taking a long 20 or 30 year view. Very best of luck anyway. I thoroughly enjoy ALL your posts here. I'll resume my usual Lurker mode here now !

 

[kane007]

One year down, Eight to go!<br /><br />Yep the 19th was the 1 year anniversary since launch. Jupiter closest approach is 34 days away!

 

[greendayrockssss]

Yes, only seven and one half more years until the destination is reached!

 

[jmilsom]

Thought I would just bump the old thread for those unfamiliar with it. Plenty of interesting info here to go with the <br /><br /><b>New Horizons: Jupiter Encounter. January & February 2007 Thread</b><br /><br />Now New Horizons is in hibernation for the first time ready for its long voyage to Pluto. Latest news form the missions site:<br /><br /><b>New Horizons Slips into Electronic Slumber</b><br /><br />June 28, 2007<br /><br />New Horizons’ first operational hibernation phase is off to a successful start! On commands transmitted from the Mission Operations Center at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland, through NASA’s Deep Space Network, the spacecraft eased into hibernation mode in the early hours of June 27. Since then, New Horizons has twice broadcast “green†beacon tones back to Earth, indicating all systems are healthy and operating as programmed.<br /><br />Hibernation – in which the spacecraft’s redundant components and guidance and control system are powered off – is designed to reduce wear and tear on spacecraft electronics, lessen spacecraft-operation costs and free up Deep Space Network tracking resources for other missions. New Horizons will “sleep†in this spin-stabilized state for most of the remaining 8-year cruise to Pluto; operators will wake New Horizons for about two months out of each year for system checkouts and instrument calibrations.<br /><br />During hibernation, New Horizons’ onboard flight computer monitors system health and broadcasts a beacon tone through the medium-gain antenna. New Horizons will transmit a “green†coded tone if all is well, or a “red†tone if it detects a problem and requires help from the operations team. New Horizons is the first mission to make operational use of hibernation in flight and the associated beaco <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Thanx very much for the update. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Seems like a good time for a review.<br /><br />Less than 25 AU to Pluto!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thank you very much from me too.<br /><br />Lets hope New Horizons can be woken up O.K!!!!<br /><br />It is a good time for a position update.<br /><br />New Horizons is really chewing up the distance now.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Big Picture <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Planar View <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thanks MeteorWayne. <br /><br />Already New Horizons is nearly a third of the way between the orbits of Jupiter & Saturn.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Now that M&L is fixed, a NH update; now over 6 AU from earth! <br /><br />1 way light time is 50 min 24 seconds.<br /><br />The sun is magnitude -22.5 from there. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi MeteorWayne.<br /><br />It was certainly time for an update. Thank You.<br /><br />To follow on, I have posted the following:<br /><br />Inner solar system & Sun as seen from New Horizons.<br /><br />In front of Taurus.<br /><br />Wednesday 18th July 2007 @ 6:00 PM GMT / 7:00 PM CET.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

New Horizons as seen from Earth. <br /><br />Wednesday 18th July 2007 @ 6:00 PM GMT / 7:00 PM CET. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>