Status Report

New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission Science Planning Opportunity

By SpaceRef Editor
June 12, 2016
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The centerpiece of the proposed New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission (NH-KEM) is the very close flyby of the 20-40 km wide KBO 2014 MU69 on 1 January 2019. NH-KEM will also observe ~20 other KBOs at phase angles and/or at resolutions not otherwise possible, producing a unique database of KBO phase curves, satellite searches, and ring searches.

If NH-KEM is approved, mission schedules require that both distant KBO observations and MU69 close flyby planning must begin almost immediately.

The New Horizons team plans to use a portion of its September Science Team Meeting the week of Sep 19 to gather community input to NH-KEM observation plans.

Those are interested in listening to or potentially presenting at this activity should complete the indication of interest form at:

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/kem-workshop-1/index.php

SpaceRef staff editor.