NASA relieved. New Horizons works! July 14 will pass next … – TVN Meteo

The success of the nearly 10-year-old New Horizons mission hung in the balance.

4 July, just before the historic passage near the Pluto system on board the machine passed the so-called mode. “safe mode”, ie. safe mode. It allows you to perform only basic operations.

Scientists feared that if New Horizons will fly past the dwarf planet acting on the backup computer does not gather valuable data that are the climax of the whole mission.

Back efficiency

Fortunately, despite the distance separating the Earth from NASA employees managed to fix the fault. Probe returns to normal academic work and from July 7 (Tuesday) will continue its flight to Pluto. Next is to go according to plan. July 14 should pass Pluto at a distance of more than 11 thousand. km.

– I am glad that our team quickly identified the problem and ensured a quick return to fitness probe – said in a statement, NASA director Jim Green.

Not easy repair

Repair work was very difficult. New Horizons spacecraft is just over five billion kilometers from Earth. The signals traveling at the speed of light need 4.5 hours to reach Earth. For comparison, the Sun comes in 8 minutes. Two-way communication between the spacecraft and Earth requires up to 9 hours.

Long-term mission

New Horizons probe, which was created as part of NASA’s New Frontiers program. Scientists have already started to examine the draft Pluto and its moon, Charon, at least one other Kuiper Belt object.

The interplanetary space probe travels almost 10 years (started January 19, 2006 year). About two-thirds of flight time spent in hibernation, beating interplanetary space.

During the transfer Pluto probe constantly conducive to the sun. The more I walked away from the center of the solar system, the more decreased airspeed. Scientists planned trajectory so as to take advantage of Jupiter’s gravity assist. New Horizons came to this planet 28 February 2007. The impact of Jupiter again increased the speed and significantly shortened the travel time of the probe to the target, or Pluto.

The culmination already July 14

Scientists suspect that from mid-May New Horizons will provide us with photos in better resolution than those that made the Hubble Space Telescope. The climax is scheduled for July 14, 2015 year. The probe is then inserted into the orbit of Pluto. Fly next to her at a safe distance (more than 11 thous. Km at a speed of 13.780 km / sec.). The entire mission will last until 2022, however.