New Horizons Mission to Pluto

[scubadude]

Digger said:

I'm assuming they've factored in the transmission delays, so in reality the actual event was some fair old time ago?

No it actually was lunchtime today, the "live" view was a simulation in real time.

The data won't be returned in full for over a Year but we get edited highlights sent back as of tomorrow I believe.

[FunkyNige]

Digger said:

I'm assuming they've factored in the transmission delays, so in reality the actual event was some fair old time ago?

It's a bit of a weird one as the probe can't 'do science' and send stuff back at the same time so what we're seeing and talking about is live, but it won't be sending anything back until it's finished all the science recording bits first.
As I understand it, overnight it's going to send back a small packet of data that tells us the probe's health and whether it performed as expected, then it will start sending back more data in the days (and weeks and months) after that.

[p1stonhead]

Gandahar said:

https://instagram.com/p/5HT9Ggksmb/?taken-by=newho...

Oh my word. Incredible.

[Eric Mc]

Looks like it's just started sending some data back right now. It's just reoriented itself to communicate with earth.

[CrutyRammers]

p1stonhead said:

Gandahar said:

https://instagram.com/p/5HT9Ggksmb/?taken-by=newho...

Oh my word. Incredible.

That's pretty special isn't it. And better to come, hopefully.

[p1stonhead]

CrutyRammers said:

p1stonhead said:

Gandahar said:

https://instagram.com/p/5HT9Ggksmb/?taken-by=newho...

Oh my word. Incredible.

That's pretty special isn't it. And better to come, hopefully.

I still cant quite believe this is actually happing NOW, at Pluto! Like really now, out there 3 billion miles away.

I love science.

Look at this newspaper clipping from ten years ago someone uploaded to Reddit which stated its due to pass Pluto in July 2015. How accurate is that!

[Eric Mc]

ash73 said:

Eric Mc said:

Looks like it's just started sending some data back right now. It's just reoriented itself to communicate with earth.

It's still doing science, measuring a radio signal from Earth through Pluto's atmosphere to determine its composition.

Aha - a technique they first used back in 1962 at Venus.

[scubadude]

p1stonhead said:

Look at this newspaper clipping from ten years ago someone uploaded to Reddit which stated its due to pass Pluto in July 2015. How accurate is that!

Cool.

I read that the New Horizons probe had to pass through a 60x90mile window at Pluto with a + or - 10second time window for everything to work- talk about a hole in one! (Obviously it was all planned and no luck involved but impressive all the same)

[Moonhawk]

Awesome achievement.

Now we need a probes to explore Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune's moons and rings in more detail.

[jmorgan]

Moonhawk said:

Awesome achievement.

Now we need a probes to explore Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune's moons and rings in more detail.

Juno next year for Jupiter.


http://missionjuno.swri.edu


Edit. Missed it.

[jmorgan]

Looking at the deep space network, keep seeing Voyager data coming in which is apt in a way. 19 billion KM away and 159b/sec data rate.

[Derek Smith]

CrutyRammers said:

p1stonhead said:

Gandahar said:

https://instagram.com/p/5HT9Ggksmb/?taken-by=newho...

Oh my word. Incredible.

That's pretty special isn't it. And better to come, hopefully.

It is wonderful. Quite awe inspiring.

[Gandahar]

Digger said:

Gandahar said:

Eric Mc said:

NASA TV is also providing live coverage with interviews etc.

http://www.nasa.gov/

I loved the shot of the operations room, as there was nothing to do for them currently the only person in there was hoovering the floor.

Aaah. . . . that explains why my screen suddenly went blank. Pesky cleaners.

He's on twitter now

https://twitter.com/AstronomyNow/status/6209209642...

You'd think NASA would use some new tech wouldn't you, like a Dyson with the ball or a Miele with 2000w. No they use something my mum used in the 1970's.

[Mr Trophy]

See "that picture" of Pluto. Once its been sent - how long does it take to travel from where it is, to reach our screens if that makes sense?

[Zad]

I seem to remember that Pluto is currently approximately 4.25 hours away, as the radio signal (or light) flies.

[Digger]

There was a chart I saw, linked earlier which shows the rough timeline for data receipt and processing thereof. See if I can find it.

[Digger]

[jmorgan]

Yeah, tis in the press kit PDF on the site.

[p1stonhead]

A new particle discovered today at the LHC too!

What a great day for science.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-3351...

[Gandahar]

Just imagine how excited we would have been if it had been a big planet and not just a dwarf.

Ahem.

Scientifically Pluto has now been determined to be a dwarf but historically this Kuiper body has been tied in with our history of long range planet exploration more than any other.Scientists can't decide whether to be romantic or practical and then go the side of science when the human population wants something else.

And then they put Pluto the dog stuffed toys in mission control and the ashes of someone rather special is on the space craft.

Pluto will always stand above other bodies out there in the hearts of the current Earth crowd, our furthest outpost. It's a Dwarf planet in nature, it's a giant in man's history of getting further out there as Pioneer and Voyager did before.

The only sad thing is that since Bonus Print has disappeared since it was launched it will not be able to send it's snaps home in a self paid envelope.