New Horizons: Plans for Nix and Hydra Leslie Young New Horizons Deputy Project Scientist...

New Horizons: Plans for Nix and Hydra

Leslie YoungNew Horizons Deputy Project Scientist303-546-6057 (USA)[email protected]

For the entire team of Pluto Encounter Planners

Cathy OlkinJohn Spencer

Jeff MooreHal WeaverWill Grundy

Alan SternRandy Gladstone

Ivan LinscottMatt Hill

Heather Elliot...

Pluto-system Science Goals specified by NASA or added by New Horizons

Specified by NASA Added and ranked by New Horizons Science Team

Characterize the global geology and morphology of Pluto and Charon

Map surface composition of Pluto and CharonCharacterize the neutral atmosphere of Pluto and its escape rate


Characterize the time variability of Pluto's surface and atmosphere Composition of dark surfaces on Pluto

Image Pluto and Charon in Stereo "Far-side" imaging of Pluto and Charon

Map the terminators of Pluto and Charon with high resolution "Far-side" color and composition of Pluto and Charon

Characterize Pluto's ionosphere and solar wind interaction High resolution imaging of Nix and HydraSearch for neutral species including H, H2, HCN, and CxHy, and other hydrocarbons and nitriles in Pluto's upper atmosphere Color & composition of Nix and Hydra

Search for an atmosphere around Charon Shapes of Nix and Hydra

Determine bolometric Bond albedos for Pluto and CharonMap the surface temperatures of Pluto and Charon


Characterize the energetic particle environment of Pluto and Charon Surface microphysics of Pluto and Charon

Refine bulk parameters (radii, masses, densities) and orbits of Pluto & Charon Measure the surface temperatures of Nix and Hydra

Search for magnetic fields of Pluto and Charon Measure the phase curve of Nix and HydraSearch for additional satellites and rings Image Nix and Hydra in stereo

Education/Public Outreach

Group 2 Objectives: STRONGLY DESIRED

Group 1 Objectives: REQUIRED

Group 3 Objectives: DESIRED

None

New Horizons trajectory

Pluto-Charon14 July 2015

KBOs2016-2020

Jupiter System28 Feb 2007

Launch19 Jan 2006

New Horizons Pluto Encounter Geometry, 2015 July 14

0.24°

SunEarth

Hydra

Pluto

Nix

Charon

New Horizons TrajectoryPluto C/A11:50:0013,695 km13.78 km/s

Charon C/A12:04:0029,432 km13.87 km/s

Pluto-Sun Occultation12:51:28

Charon-Sun Occultation14:17:50

Charon-Earth Occultation14:20:09

Pluto-Earth Occultation12:52:30

15:00

11:00

• S/C trajectory time ticks: 10 min• Occultation: center time• Position and lighting at Pluto

C/A• Distance relative to body center

Orbit Period aCharon 6.4 d 19,571 kmNix 24.9 d 48,675 kmHydra 38.2 d 64,780 km

12:00

13:00

14:00

11:13:00 22,012 km

12:04:2777,572 km

The best dates for Nix and Hydra remote sensing were 2015 July 12-15.

NH Spacecraft & Instruments

2.1 meters

Pan/color imager & IR imaging spectrometer

UV spectrometer

Student Dust CounterSolar Wind Detector

Particle Detector

High-Resolution Imager

Radio Experiment

NH Spacecraft & Instruments

2.1 meters

Pan/color imager & IR imaging spectrometer

UV spectrometer

Student Dust CounterSolar Wind Detector

Particle Detector

High-Resolution Imager

Radio Experiment

1024 x 1024 pix, 5 microradian/pixel400-975 nm

256x256 pix, 64 microradian/pixelR=240 - 560, 1.25-2.25 micron

5000xN pix, 20 microradian/pixel4 colors, 400-975 nm

32 spatial x 1024 spectral pix, 0.3 deg/pixel, 46.5-118.1 nm

MVIC's color bands:color slopes and high-resolution CH4

780-975 nm

860-910 nm

400-550 nm

540-700 nm

LEISA's spectral range and expected species at Pluto and Charon

Pluto

Charon

Overview of Nix & Hydraobservations in encounter year (2015)

JulJunMayAprMarFebJan

OpNav/Orbit/Photom. OpNav/Orbit/Photom. OpNav/Orbit/Photom.

Color

Infrared

Ultraviolet

Shape & Geology Phasefunction

Jan 25 - Mar 6 (P-170 to P-130 days),observations every 2 days

Observations start after New Horizonsis visible after conjunction, and end to allow a possible spin up of the spacecraft (to save fuel and thruster usage).

V = 16.4 to 15.9 (Hydra),V = 16.8 to 16.3 (Nix)

LORRI 4x4 mode (20 µrad pixels), 10 second exposures.

Resolution = 4050 to 3100 km per binned pixel

Purpose•Initial confirmation of Nix and Hydra orbits•Orbits and lightcurves over 1.0 Hydra orbit, 1.6 Nix orbit

Figure shows 44 binned pixels

OpNav, Orbits &Lightcurves:

Jan 25 - Mar 6

QuickTime™ and aGIF decompressor

are needed to see this picture.


April 5 - May 6

April 5 - May 6 (P-100 to P-60 days),observations every 2 days

Observations timed to allow a possible spin up of the spacecraft (to save fuel and thruster usage).

V = 14.8 to 14.2 (Hydra),V = 15.2 to 14.6 (Nix)

LORRI 4x4 mode (20 µrad pixels), 10 second exposures.

Resolution = 2400 to 14300 km per binned pixel

Purpose•Improve Nix and Hydra orbits•Orbits and lightcurves over 1.0 Hydra orbit, 1.6 Nix orbit

Figure shows 100 binned pixels




June 5 - July 13

June 5 - July 13 (P-39 to P-1.5 days),observations daily

Begin after a possible spin up of the spacecraft.

V = 13.2 to 3.8 (Hydra),V = 13.6 to 4.1 (Nix)

LORRI 1x1 mode (5 µrad pixels), 0.10 - 0.15 second exposures.

Resolution = 233 to 3 km per pixelPurpose•Improve Nix and Hydra orbits - June 17 (P-27 d): Nix & Hydra transverse - June 30 (P-14 d): Nix transverse - July 6 (P-8 d): Nix radial & Hydra transverse - July 11 (P-3 d): Nix transverse•Critical OpNav•Orbits and lightcurves over 1.0 Hydra orbit, 1.6 Nix orbitFigure shows 1024 unbinned pixels




June 5 - July 13

June 5 - July 13 (P-39 to P-1.5 days)


V = 13.2 to 3.8 (Hydra),V = 13.6 to 4.1 (Nix)


Resolution = 233 to 3 km per pixelPurpose•Improve Nix and Hydra orbits - June 17 (P-27 d): Nix & Hydra transverse - June 30 (P-14 d): Nix transverse - July 6 (P-8 d): Nix radial & Hydra transverse - July 11 (P-3 d): Nix transverse•Critical OpNav•Orbits and lightcurves over 1.0 Hydra orbit, 1.6 Nix orbit

Figure shows 1024 unbinned pixels


June 5 - July 13



V = 13.2 to 3.8 (Hydra),V = 13.6 to 4.1 (Nix)




Shape, Geology, &Phase of Hydra

June 30 - July 16

Hydra diameter = 47 - 167 kmfor albedo = 0.04 to 0.34.

Hydra could subtend 2 pixels on June 30, for 14 days of resolved imagry.

Observations are taken at least daily starting June 5.



are needed to see this picture.Time km/pix phase

7/13 14:27 5.4 18.9

7/13 23:16 3.2 21.5

7/14 04:56 1.8 26.8

7/14 7:40 1.1 34.1

7/14 14:45 0.8 163.1

7/15 2:39 3.7 169.7

Shape, Geology, &Phase of Nix

July 2 - July 16

Nix diameter = 40 - 141 kmfor albedo = 0.04 to 0.34.

Nix could subtend 2 pixels on July 2, for 11.5 days of resolved imagry.

Observations are taken at least daily starting June 5.




Time km/pix phase

7/13 14:33 5.1 14.2

7/13 23:18 2.9 13.4

7/14 04:39 1.6 11.9

7/14 8:06 0.8 8.5

7/14 10:05 0.3

7/14 11:18 0.5 92.2

7/14 14:53 0.92 158.2

7/14 23:05 3.0 162.7

7/15 02:45 3.9 163.2

Shape, Geology, &Phase of Nix

Effect of Ephemeris Uncertainties

The highest resolution image of Nix (0.3 km/pix) is at risk because the error ellipse is much larger than the LORRI field of view.

This can be helped by Nix orbit refinement in the days before closest approach, and better Pluto-barycenter ephemeredes.

The error ellipse at 0.5 km/pix is much smaller than the MVIC FOV.

Time km/pix phase

7/13 14:33 5.1 14.2

7/13 23:18 2.9 13.4

7/14 04:39 1.6 11.9

7/14 8:06 0.8 8.5

7/14 10:05 0.3 33.3

7/14 11:18 0.5 92.2

7/14 14:53 0.92 158.2

7/14 23:05 3.0 162.7

7/15 02:45 3.9 163.2

Summary of Observations New Horizons plan for Nix and Hydra

Nix Hydra

Panchromatic 0.29 km/pixel possible

0.46 km/pixel

0.77 km/pixel backup

1.14 km/pixel


Color 1.98 km/pixel


4.60 km/pixel


Infrared 3.60 km/pixel


14.64 km/pixel


Ultraviolet 25 minutes, filling 1/8 of the slot 30 seconds, filling 1/7 of the slot

Phases Incoming asymptote (14.8), plus

6.5, 8.5, 10.5, 11.9, 13.4, 14.2, 15.8, 33.3, 92.2, 158.2, 162.7, 163.2

Incoming asymptote (14.8), plus

15.8, 18.9, 21.5, 26.8, 34.1,

163.1, 169.8

Orbits 120 days, spanning 170 days (6.8 orbits)

120 days, spanning 170 days (4.4 orbits)

Observations New Horizons won't makeof Nix and Hydra

• Orbit and lightcurve measurements spanning several years

• Direct thermal measurements (although H2O may give surface temperatures)

• Color measurements over more than 3-25 days• IR measurements over more than 1-5 days• UV occultations

For more information

• APL's New Horizons site: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/• Boulder/SwRI New Horizons site: http://www.boulder.swri.edu/pkb/• NASA's New Horizons site:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/• Various, Space Science Reviews 2008, volume 140• Young and Stern 2009. Icy Bodies of the Solar System (IAU S263),

To get involved• Contact Co-I's or instrument teams (see

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/mission/team.php)• New data or modeling can affect choices of "retargetables," with

these decisions being finalized in early 2013.• Participating Scientist Programs in 2015 will introduce new

members into the team• All data is archived in NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS)• Data Analysis Programs fund analysis of spacecraft data.

New Horizons: Plans for Nix and Hydra Leslie Young New Horizons Deputy Project Scientist...

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