View source for Astronomy:Timeline of New Horizons

{{Main|Astronomy:New Horizons}}
[[File:15-011a-NewHorizons-PlutoFlyby-ArtistConcept-14July2015-20150115.jpg|thumb|upright|An artist's impression of ''New Horizons''{{'}} close encounter with the Plutonian system]]
Timeline for the ''New Horizons'' interplanetary space probe lists the significant events of the launch, transition phases as well as subsequent significant operational mission events; by date and brief description.

== Preparation phase ==
* January 8, 2001: Proposal team meets face-to-face for the first time at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.<ref name="Stern2006">{{cite journal |url=http://www.boulder.swri.edu/pkb/ssr/ssr-intro.pdf |title=The New Horizons Pluto Kuiper belt Mission: An Overview with Historical Context |journal=Space Science Reviews |volume=140 |issue=1–4 |pages=3–21 |last=Stern |first=Alan |year=2008 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923194028/http://www.boulder.swri.edu/pkb/ssr/ssr-intro.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=live |bibcode=2008SSRv..140....3S |arxiv=0709.4417 |doi=10.1007/s11214-007-9295-y |s2cid=119197398 }}</ref>
* February 5, 2001: ''New Horizons'' name chosen.<ref name="Stern2006"/><ref name="Stern2005">{{cite news |url=http://www.thespacereview.com/article/369/1 |title=New Horizons indeed |work=The Space Review |first=S. Alan |last=Stern |date=May 9, 2005}}</ref>
* April 6, 2001: ''New Horizons'' proposal submitted to NASA. It was one of five proposals submitted, which were later narrowed to two for Phase&nbsp;A study: POSSE (Pluto and Outer Solar System Explorer) and ''New Horizons''.<ref name="Stern2006"/>
* November 29, 2001: ''New Horizons'' proposal selected by NASA. Started Phase&nbsp;B study.<ref name="Savage">{{cite web |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/text/pluto_pr_20011129.txt |title=NASA Selects Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission For Phase B Study |publisher=NASA |last=Savage |first=D. |date=November 29, 2001 |access-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308190424/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/text/pluto_pr_20011129.txt |url-status=live |archive-date=March 8, 2011}}</ref>
* March 2002: Budget zeroed by Bush administration, later overridden.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cuts threaten mission to Pluto |date=4 March 2002 |url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2002-03-04/news/0203040036_1_study-pluto-pluto-mission-apl |access-date=May 13, 2015 |archive-date=June 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607020128/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2002-03-04/news/0203040036_1_study-pluto-pluto-mission-apl |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Planetary Society |url=http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/pluto/ |access-date=May 13, 2015}}</ref>
* June 13, 2005: Spacecraft departed [[Organization:Applied Physics Laboratory|Applied Physics Laboratory]] for final testing. It undergoes final testing at [[Organization:Goddard Space Flight Center|Goddard Space Flight Center]] (GSFC).<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2005/050926.asp |title=APL-Built Pluto Spacecraft Begins Launch Preparations |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory |first1=Michael |last1=Buckley |first2=Dwayne |last2=Brown |first3=George |last3=Diller |date=September 26, 2005 |access-date=August 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115020755/http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2005/050926.asp |archive-date=January 15, 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
* September 24, 2005: Spacecraft shipped to Cape Canaveral. It was moved through {{wipe|Andrews Air Force Base}} aboard a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft.<ref name="SpaceDaily">{{cite web |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASAS_Pluto_Space_Probe_Begins_Launch_Preparations.html |title=NASA'S Pluto Space Probe Begins Launch Preparations |publisher=SpaceDaily |date=September 27, 2005 |access-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231125211/http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASAS_Pluto_Space_Probe_Begins_Launch_Preparations.html |archive-date=December 31, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* December 17, 2005: Spacecraft ready for in rocket positioning. Transported from Hazardous Servicing Facility to Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-met-unprecedented-challenges-sending-spacecraft-to-pluto |title=NASA Met Unprecedented Challenges Sending Spacecraft to Pluto |last=Granath |first=Bob |date=June 30, 2015 |work=NASA |access-date=May 1, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
* January 11, 2006: Primary launch window opened. The launch was delayed for further testing.<ref name="LaunchPrep1">{{cite web |last=Leonard |first=David |title=New Horizons Pluto Probe Readied For Launch |website=Space.com |url=https://www.space.com/1508-horizons-pluto-probe-readied-launch.html |date=September 1, 2005}}</ref>
* January 16, 2006: Rocket moved onto launch pad. [[Engineering:Atlas V|Atlas V]] launcher, serial number AV-010, rolled out onto pad.<ref name="NASA-20150306">{{cite web |last=Cooper |first=Ben |title=New Horizons Rollout |url=http://www.launchphotography.com/NewHorizonsRollout.html |date=January 2006 |publisher=Launch Photography |access-date=July 5, 2015 |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804170818/http://www.launchphotography.com/NewHorizonsRollout.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* January 17, 2006: Launch delayed. First day launch attempts scrubbed because of unacceptable weather conditions (high winds).<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/17/science/winds-delay-launching-for-nasa-mission-to-pluto.html |title=Winds Delay Launching for NASA Mission to Pluto |work=The New York Times |first=Warren E. |last=Leary |date=January 17, 2006}}</ref><ref name="Space.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.space.com/1957-launch-nasa-pluto-probe-delayed-24-hours.html |title=Launch of NASA's Pluto Probe Delayed for 24 Hours |work=Space.com |date=January 17, 2006 |access-date=June 3, 2013}}</ref>
* January 18, 2006: Launch delayed again. Second launch attempt scrubbed because of morning power outage at the [[Organization:Applied Physics Laboratory|Applied Physics Laboratory]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Malik |first1=Tariq |title=Power Outage Delays Launch of NASA's Pluto Probe |url=http://www.space.com/1962-power-outage-delays-launch-nasa-pluto-probe.html |website=Space.com |date=January 18, 2006 |access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref>

== Launch phase ==
* January 19, 2006: Successful launch at 19:00 [[UTC]] after a brief delay due to cloud cover.<ref name="Amir">{{cite web |url=http://www.planetary.org/news/2006/0119_New_Horizons_Launched_on_its_Way_to.html |title=New Horizons Launched on its Way to Pluto |publisher=The Planetary Society |first=Amir |last=Alexander |date=January 19, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318214956/http://www.planetary.org/news/2006/0119_New_Horizons_Launched_on_its_Way_to.html |archive-date=March 18, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Harwood">{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/060119launch.html |title=New Horizons launches on voyage to Pluto and beyond |work=Spaceflight Now |last=Harwood |first=William |date=January 19, 2006 |access-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130001152/http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/060119launch.html |archive-date=November 30, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Jupiter pre-encounter phase ==
* April 7, 2006: The probe passed [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]' orbit 1.5 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]] from Earth.<ref name="Malik">{{cite news |last=Malik |first=T. |title=Pluto-Bound Probe Passes Mars' Orbit |work=Space.com |date=April 7, 2006 |url=http://www.space.com/2263-pluto-bound-probe-passes-mars-orbit.html |access-date=January 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127062040/http://www.space.com/2263-pluto-bound-probe-passes-mars-orbit.html |archive-date=November 27, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wolframalpha.com/|title=mars 7 april 2006 – Wolfram&#124;Alpha|website=www.wolframalpha.com}}</ref>
* June 13, 2006: Flyby of asteroid [[Astronomy:132524 APL|132524 APL]]. The probe passed closest to the asteroid 132524 APL in the Asteroid Belt at about 101,867&nbsp;km at 04:05&nbsp;UTC. Pictures were taken.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The New Horizons Distant Flyby of Asteroid 2002 JF56 |journal=Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society |first1=Catherine B. |last1=Olkin |volume=38 |page=597 |bibcode=2006DPS....38.5922O |display-authors=4 |last2=Reuter |last3=Lunsford |last4=Binzel |last5=Stern |date=2006}}</ref>
* November 28, 2006: First image of Pluto. The image of Pluto was taken from a great distance.<ref name="LORRI">{{cite web |author=K. Beisser |title=New Horizons, Not Quite to Jupiter, Makes First Pluto Sighting |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/112806.php |publisher=JHU/APL |date=November 28, 2006 |access-date=January 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113224846/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/112806.php |archive-date=November 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Jupiter encounter phase ==
* January 10, 2007: Navigation exercise near [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]]. Long-distance observations of Jupiter's outer moon [[Astronomy:Callirrhoe (moon)|Callirrhoe]] as a navigation exercise.<ref name="callirrhoe">{{cite web |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2007/jupiter_timeline.html |title=New Horizons Jupiter Encounter Timeline |publisher=The Planetary Society |access-date=October 24, 2014}}</ref>
* February 28, 2007: Jupiter flyby. Closest approach occurred at 05:43:40&nbsp;UTC at 2.305&nbsp;million km, 21.219&nbsp;km/s.<ref name="Timeline">{{cite web |url=http://www.pluto.jhuapl.edu/mission/mission_timeline.php |title=Mission Timeline |publisher=Johns Hopkins APL |access-date=August 1, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723174449/http://www.pluto.jhuapl.edu/mission/mission_timeline.php |archive-date=July 23, 2008}}</ref>

== Pluto pre-encounter phase ==
* June 8, 2008: The probe passed Saturn's orbit 9.5 AU from Earth.<ref name="Timeline"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=saturn+on+8+june+2008 |title=Distance between Saturn and Earth on June 8, 2008 |access-date=March 14, 2011}}</ref>
* December 29, 2009: The probe becomes closer to Pluto than to Earth. Pluto was then 32.7 AU from Earth, and the probe was 16.4 AU from Earth.<ref>{{cite web |last=Villard |first=R. |title=New Horizons Crosses Halfway Point to Pluto |publisher=Discovery Communications, LLC. |date=December 29, 2009 |url=http://news.discovery.com/space/new-horizons-crosses-halfway-point-to-pluto.html |access-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225175153/http://news.discovery.com/space/new-horizons-crosses-halfway-point-to-pluto.html |archive-date=December 25, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=pluto+29+december+2009 |title=Distance between Pluto and Earth on December 29, 2009 |access-date=March 14, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=new+horizons+probe+29+december+2009 |title=New Horizon properties on December 29, 2009 |access-date=March 14, 2011}}</ref>
* February 25, 2010: New Horizons completed {{convert|1.48|e9mi|e9km|order=flip|abbr=unit}}, half the total travel distance of {{convert|2.96|e9mi|e9km|order=flip|abbr=unit}}.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.space.com/7979-spacecraft-hits-midpoint-flight-pluto.html |title=Spacecraft Hits Midpoint on Flight to Pluto |work=Space.com |date=February 26, 2010 |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref>
* March 18, 2011: The probe passes [[Astronomy:Uranus|Uranus]]' orbit. This is the fourth planetary orbit the spacecraft crossed since its start. ''New Horizons'' reached Uranus's orbit at 22:00&nbsp;UTC.<ref>{{cite web |title=Space Spin&nbsp;– New Horizons ventures beyond Saturn's orbit |date=June 9, 2008 |url=http://spacespin.org/article.php/80636-new-horizons-beyond-saturn-orbit |access-date=March 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723084517/http://spacespin.org/article.php/80636-new-horizons-beyond-saturn-orbit |archive-date=July 23, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.space.com/11171-nasa-spacecraft-passes-uranus-orbit.html |title=NASA Pluto Probe Passes Orbit of Uranus |date=March 18, 2011 |access-date=March 19, 2011 |publisher=SPACE.com |author=SPACE.com Staff}}</ref>
* December 2, 2011: ''New Horizons'' draws closer to Pluto than any other spacecraft has ever been. Previously, ''[[Astronomy:Voyager 1|Voyager 1]]'' held the record for the closest approach. (~10.58 AU)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/NewHorizons2015/status/142249340247879681 |title=Twitter.com&nbsp;– NewHorizons2015}}</ref>
* February 11, 2012: ''New Horizons'' reaches the distance of 10 AU from the Pluto system, at around 4:55&nbsp;UTC.<ref name="news20120210">{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20120210.php |title=New Horizons on Approach: 22 AU Down, Just 10 to Go |publisher=JHU/APL |date=February 10, 2012 |access-date=March 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113224823/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20120210.php |archive-date=November 13, 2014 }}</ref>
* July 1, 2013: ''New Horizons'' captures its first image of [[Astronomy:Charon (moon)|Charon]]. Charon is clearly separated from Pluto using the Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI).<ref name="news20130711">{{cite news |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/07/11/new_horizons_pluto_s_moon_charon_now_visible.html |title=New Horizons Gets a First Glimpse of Pluto's Moon Charon |first=Phil |last=Plait |date=July 11, 2013 |work=Slate}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20130710.php |title=Charon Revealed! New Horizons Camera Spots Pluto's Largest Moon |date=July 10, 2013 |website=New Horizons; Headlines |publisher=[[Organization:Applied Physics Laboratory|The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208200701/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20130710.php |archive-date=December 8, 2013 }}</ref>
* October 25, 2013: ''New Horizons'' reaches the distance of 5 AU from the Pluto system.<ref name="news20120210" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20131025.php |title=On the Path to Pluto, 5 AU and Closing |date=October 25, 2013 |website=New Horizons; Headlines |publisher=[[Organization:Applied Physics Laboratory|The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113224829/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20131025.php |archive-date=November 13, 2014 }}</ref>
* July 10, 2014: Photos of [[Astronomy:Neptune|Neptune]] and [[Astronomy:Triton (moon)|Triton]] from about 4&nbsp;billion&nbsp;km away.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082514a-new-horizons-neptune-voyager.html|title = NASA's New Horizons probe crosses orbit of Neptune 25 years after Voyager 2 &#124; collectSPACE}}</ref>
* July 20, 2014: Photos of Pluto and Charon. Images obtained showing both bodies orbiting each other, distance 2.8 AU.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20140807.php |title=New Horizons Spies Charon Orbiting Pluto |publisher=Johns Hopkins APL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808090015/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20140807.php |archive-date=August 8, 2014 }}</ref>
* August 25, 2014: The probe passes [[Astronomy:Neptune|Neptune]]'s orbit. This was the fifth planetary orbit crossed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/mission/passingplanets/passingPlanets_current.php |title=Passing the Planets |publisher=Johns Hopkins APL |date=March 18, 2011 |access-date=April 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714214438/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/mission/passingplanets/passingPlanets_current.php |archive-date=July 14, 2014 }}</ref>
* December 7, 2014: ''New Horizons'' awakes from hibernation. NASA's Deep Sky Network station at Tidbinbilla, Australia received a signal confirming that it successfully awoke from hibernation.<ref name="awoketwitter">{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/NASANewHorizons |title=NASA New Horizons (@NASANewHorizons) – Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/its-alive-nasas-new-horizons-pluto-probe-wakes-work-n262996 |title=It's Alive! NASA's New Horizons Pluto Probe 'Wakes Up' for Work |work=NBC News |date=December 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="awokeAST">{{cite journal |last1=Nally |first1=Jonathan |title=Ready for a Close Encounter |journal=Australian Sky & Telescope |issue=83 |page=14 |issn=1832-0457}}</ref>
* January 2015: Observation of [[Astronomy:Kuiper belt|Kuiper belt]] object {{mpl|2011 KW|48}}. Distant observations from a distance of roughly 75 million km (~0.5 AU)<ref name="VNH0004">{{cite web |author=NewHorizons2015 |title=About the Jan 21o5 KBO, It's VNH0004 |url=https://twitter.com/NewHorizons2015/status/237925999982034944 |access-date=August 21, 2012}} {{cite web |last=Buie |first=Marc W. |title=Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for VNH0004 |work=User pages |url=http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~buie/kbo/astrom/VNH0004.html |publisher=Southwest Research Institute Planetary Science Directorate |access-date=August 21, 2012}}</ref>
* January 15, 2015: Start of Pluto observations. ''New Horizons'' is now close enough to Pluto and begins observing the system.<ref name="NASA-20150115">{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Dwayne |last2=Buckley |first2=Michael |last3=Stothoff |first3=Maria |title=January 15, 2015 Release 15-011 – NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft Begins First Stages of Pluto Encounter |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/january/nasa-s-new-horizons-spacecraft-begins-first-stages-of-pluto-encounter |date=January 15, 2015 |work=[[Organization:NASA|NASA]] |access-date=January 15, 2015 |archive-date=April 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407083332/https://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/january/nasa-s-new-horizons-spacecraft-begins-first-stages-of-pluto-encounter |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://discoverynewfrontiers.nasa.gov/news/index.cfml?ID=33 |title=New Frontier News |date=December 6, 2014 |access-date=January 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108160447/http://discoverynewfrontiers.nasa.gov/news/index.cfml?ID=33 |archive-date=January 8, 2015 }}</ref>
* March 10–11, 2015: ''New Horizons'' reaches a distance of 1 AU from the Pluto system.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20150310 |title=New Horizons |work=jhuapl.edu |access-date=July 13, 2015}}</ref>
* March 20, 2015: NASA invites the general public to suggest names for surface features that may be discovered on Pluto and Charon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourpluto.org/ |title=pluto-update |work=ourpluto.org |access-date=July 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423054711/http://www.ourpluto.org/ |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* May 15, 2015: Images exceed best [[Astronomy:Hubble Space Telescope|Hubble Space Telescope]] resolution.

== Pluto science phase ==
* July 14, 2015: Flyby of the Pluto system: [[Astronomy:Pluto|Pluto]], [[Astronomy:Charon (moon)|Charon]], Hydra, Nix, Kerberos and Styx. <br />{{*}} Flyby of Pluto around 11:49:57&nbsp;UTC at 12,500&nbsp;km, 13.78&nbsp;km/s. <br />{{*}} Pluto is 32.9 AU from Sun. <br />{{*}} Flyby of Charon around 12:03:50&nbsp;UTC at 28,858&nbsp;km, 13.87&nbsp;km/s.<ref name="presskit">{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Resources/Press-Kits/NHPlutoFlybyPressKitJuly2015.pdf |title=New Horizons Pluto Flyby Press Kit |date=July 2, 2015 |access-date=July 4, 2015}}</ref>
* July 14, 2015 to October 25, 2016: Transmission of collected data sent back to Earth, and ongoing science discovery based on the observations. The [[Bit rate|bit rate]] of the [[Astronomy:Downlink|downlink]] is limited to 1–2&nbsp;kb/s,<ref name="jhuhub20150717">{{cite web |url=http://hub.jhu.edu/2015/07/17/new-horizons-data-transmission/ |title=How exactly does New Horizons send all that data back from Pluto? |work=The Hub |publisher=Johns Hopkins University |first=Greg |last=Rienzi |date=July 17, 2015 |access-date=July 17, 2015}}</ref> so it took until October 25, 2016, to transmit all the data.<ref name="NYT-20161028">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/science/pluto-nasa-new-horizons.html |title=No More Data From Pluto |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |date=October 28, 2016 |access-date=October 28, 2016 |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329002642/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/science/pluto-nasa-new-horizons.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gizmag.com/new-horizons-downlink/39295/ |title=New Horizons begins massive 'treasure trove' data downlink |work=Gizmag |first=David |last=Szondy |date=September 7, 2015 |access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/09101452-pluto-new-horizons-browse.html |title=Pretty Pictures: Downlink of the Full New Horizons Data Set Has Begun |publisher=The Planetary Society |first=Emily |last=Lakdawalla |date=September 10, 2015 |access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-pluto-images-from-nasa-s-new-horizons-it-s-complicated |title=New Pluto Images from NASA's New Horizons: It's Complicated |publisher=[[Organization:NASA|NASA]] |first=Tricia |last=Talbert |date=September 10, 2015 |access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref>

== Arrokoth pre-encounter phase ==
* October 22 – November 4, 2015: Trajectory correction maneuver. A course adjustment for the January 2019 flyby of Arrokoth was performed in a series of four thruster firings of 22 minutes each.<ref name=wired-20151104>{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/11/how-nasa-is-steering-new-horizons-toward-a-tiny-space-rock-in-the-kuiper-belt/ |title=How NASA Is Steering New Horizons Toward a Tiny Space Rock in the Kuiper Belt |magazine=Wired |first=Nick |last=Stockton |date=November 4, 2015 |access-date=May 30, 2017}}</ref><ref name=nsf-20170528>{{cite news |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/new-horizons-2019-kuiper-belt-encounter/ |title=New Horizons prepares for New Year's Day 2019 Kuiper Belt Object encounter |work=NASASpaceflight.com |first=Chris |last=Gebhardt |date=January 3, 2017 |access-date=May 30, 2017}}</ref>
* November 2, 2015: Observation of KBO [[Astronomy:15810 Arawn|15810 Arawn]]. Long-range observations from a distance of {{convert|274|e6km|AU|sp=us}}, the closest ever for any Trans-Neptunian Object other than Pluto and 486958 Arrokoth. More images were taken on April 7–8, 2016, at a range of {{convert|179|e6km|AU|sp=us}} as well.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20151204b |title=A Distant Close-up: New Horizons' Camera Captures a Wandering Kuiper Belt Object |website=New Horizons |publisher=NASA/JHUAPL |date=December 4, 2015 |access-date=July 23, 2016}}</ref>
* July 13–14, 2016: Observation of KBO [[Astronomy:50000 Quaoar|50000 Quaoar]]. Long-range observations from a distance of {{convert|2.1|e9km|AU|sp=us}} gives mission scientists a different perspective in order to study the light-scattering properties of Quaoar's surface.<ref>{{cite web |first=Tricia |last=Talbert |title=New Horizons Spies a Kuiper Belt Companion |url=https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/new-horizons-spies-a-kuiper-belt-companion |publisher=[[Organization:NASA|NASA]] |language=en-US |date=August 31, 2016 |access-date=July 16, 2017}}</ref>
* February 1, 2017: Trajectory correction maneuver. A small course adjustment towards the January 2019 flyby of Arrokoth was performed with a 44-second thruster firing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-refines-course-for-next-flyby |title=New Horizons Refines Course for Next Flyby |publisher=[[Organization:NASA|NASA]] |first=Tricia |last=Talbert |date=February 1, 2017 |access-date=May 30, 2017}}</ref><ref name=wired-20151104 />
* March 12, 2017: Arrokoth's orbit is deemed to be sufficiently well-resolved that it is [[Astronomy:Minor planet designation|formally catalogued]] as minor planet #486,958 and announced as such via Minor Planet Circular 103886.<ref name="MPC20170312">{{cite web |publisher=[[Organization:Minor Planet Center|Minor Planet Center]]|title= Minor Planet Circular 103886|date=March 12, 2017 |url=https://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/2017/MPC_2017031#page=856}}</ref> From now until its naming in November 2019, the object's official designation is to be {{mp|(486958) 2014 MU|69}}.
* 2017–2020: Observations of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs). The probe will have opportunities to perform observations of 10 to 20 KBOs visible from the spacecraft's trajectory after the Pluto system flyby. Heliosphere data collection is expected to begin.<ref name="Lakdawalla20150901">{{cite news |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/09011608-new-horizons-extended-mission-pt1.html |title=New Horizons extended mission target selected |publisher=[[Organization:The Planetary Society|The Planetary Society]] |last=Lakdawalla |first=Emily |date=September 1, 2015 |access-date=September 22, 2015 |archive-date=October 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018200350/http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/09011608-new-horizons-extended-mission-pt1.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Stern-2015-08">{{cite web |last=Stern |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Stern |title=OPAG: We Did It! |work=Presentation to the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) of the [[Organization:Lunar and Planetary Institute|Lunar and Planetary Institute]] |publisher=[[Organization:Universities Space Research Association|Universities Space Research Association]] |date=August 2015 |url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/meetings/aug2015/presentations/day-2/13_stern.pdf |pages=32, 35 |access-date=September 30, 2015 |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907000920/http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/meetings/aug2015/presentations/day-2/13_stern.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Pluto/Why-Pluto.php |title=Why Go to Pluto? |publisher=Johns Hopkins APL |access-date=December 5, 2015}}</ref>
* December 9, 2017: Trajectory correction maneuver. This delays the arrival at Arrokoth by a few hours, optimizing coverage by ground-based radio telescopes.<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24">{{cite web |last=Lakdawalla |first=Emily |title=New Horizons prepares for encounter with 2014 MU69 |publisher=Planetary Society |date=January 24, 2018 |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2018/0124-new-horizons-prepares-for-2014mu69.html |access-date=January 26, 2018 |archive-date=February 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220213605/http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2018/0124-new-horizons-prepares-for-2014mu69.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hibernation2017">{{cite web |title=New Horizons Corrects Its Course in the Kuiper Belt |date=December 9, 2017 |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20171209}}</ref>
* December 23, 2017 – June 4, 2018: Final hibernation period before the (KBO) Arrokoth encounter.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/solar-system/new-horizons-final-hibernation-2019-kbo-flyby/ |title=New Horizons put in final hibernation before 2019 KBO flyby |work=Spaceflight Insider |first=Laurel |last=Kornfeld |date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=January 11, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />
* August 2018 – March 2019: Distant observations of at least a dozen distant KBOs. Recovered by [[Astronomy:Subaru Telescope|Subaru Telescope]] in 2014–2017, enabling ''New Horizons'' observations<ref name="Porter2017">{{cite conference |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqOfJ6p1JmQ&t=1h22m55s  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/KqOfJ6p1JmQ |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Constraints on the Shapes and Rotational States of the Distant New Horizons Kuiper Belt Targets |conference=AGU Fall Meeting. December 11–15, 2017. New Orleans, Louisiana. |first1=Simon |last1=Porter |first2=Anne |last2=Verbiscer |first3=John |last3=Spencer |first4=Harold |last4=Weaver |first5=Marc |last5=Buie |first6=Susan |last6=Benecchi |first7=Catherine |last7=Olkin |first8=Alan |last8=Stern |display-authors=1 |at=1:22:55–1:36:00 |date=December 11, 2017 |id=P13F-07}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* August 13, 2018: Switch from [[Engineering:Spin stabilization|spin stabilization]] to 3-axis stabilization.<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />
* August 16, 2018 – December 24, 2018: Approach phase. Optical navigation, search for hazardous material around Arrokoth<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />
* August 16, 2018: First detection of Kuiper belt object Arrokoth<ref name="First detection">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ultima-in-view-nasa-s-new-horizons-makes-first-detection-of-kuiper-belt-flyby-target|title=Ultima in View: NASA's New Horizons Makes First Detection of Kuiper Belt Flyby Target|date=August 28, 2018|access-date=August 28, 2018|publisher=NASA|archive-date=January 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124212405/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ultima-in-view-nasa-s-new-horizons-makes-first-detection-of-kuiper-belt-flyby-target/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* October 4, 2018 – December 2, 2018: Opportunities for trajectory correction maneuvers. Maneuvers scheduled for October 4 and November 20, with backups on October 23 and December 2, respectively<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />

== Arrokoth science phase and beyond ==
* January 1, 2019: Flyby of Arrokoth, then nicknamed Ultima Thule. The flyby occurred at 05:33&nbsp;[[UTC]], and is the outermost close encounter of any Solar System object.<ref name="sfnow20180106">{{cite news |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/01/06/plot-thickens-as-new-horizons-moves-within-year-of-next-flyby/ |title=Plot thickens as New Horizons moves within year of next flyby |work=Spaceflight Now |first=Stephen |last=Clark |date=January 6, 2018 |access-date=January 11, 2018}}</ref> 
* January 9, 2019: Switch from 3-axis stabilization to [[Engineering:Spin stabilization|spin stabilization]]. This ended the Arrokoth flyby, marking the beginning of the downlink phase.<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />
* 2019–2020: Downlink of data from the Arrokoth flyby. Predicted to take approximately 20 months.<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />
* November 12, 2019: The object previously known by the [[Astronomy:Provisional designation in astronomy|provisional designation]] of {{mpl|2014 MU|69}} (later numbered 486958 and nicknamed Ultima Thule) was officially named Arrokoth.<ref name="jhuapl-20191112">{{cite web |title=New Horizons Kuiper Belt Flyby Object Officially Named 'Arrokoth' |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20191112 |publisher=[[Organization:Applied Physics Laboratory|Applied Physics Laboratory]] |website=pluto.jhuapl.edu |date=November 12, 2019 |access-date=November 14, 2019 |archive-date=January 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102130243/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20191112}}</ref>
* April 22–23, 2020: Stellar distance measurements to both [[Astronomy:Proxima Centauri|Proxima Centauri]], and [[Astronomy:Wolf 359|Wolf 359]] using stereoscopic images from New Horizons and Earth-based telescopes for usable [[Astronomy:Parallax|parallax]] observation.<ref name=DavideCastelvecchi>''Nature'' [https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01699-6  Davide Castelvecchi (11 June 2020) Pluto probe offers eye-popping view of neighbouring star Proxima Centauri] doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-01699-6</ref>
* April 15, 2021: New Horizons reaches 50 AU from the Sun, becoming the fifth spacecraft to reach the milestone.<ref>{{cite web |title=NASA's New Horizons probe reaches rare distance, looks out to farthest Voyager {{!}} collectSPACE |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-041521a-new-horizons-50-au-voyager-photo.html |website=collectSPACE.com}}</ref>
* April 30, 2021: End of the first extended mission.<ref name="Lakdawalla 2018-01-24" />
* May 26, 2022: "NASA’s New Horizons mission’s second extended mission proposal was approved." This two-year mission "will make distant observations of Uranus and Neptune[,] map the very faint 'cosmic background' in visible and ultraviolet (UV) light [and use] its instruments to understand the motions of charged particles as they interact with the solar wind, and to understand our heliosphere's large-scale structure."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Talbert |first=Tricia |date=2022-04-25 |title=Update: NASA Extends Exploration for 8 Planetary Science Missions |url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/update-nasa-extends-exploration-for-8-planetary-science-missions |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=NASA}}</ref>
* 2020s: The probe may be able to fly by a third KBO. The probe approached Arrokoth along its rotational axis, which simplified trajectory correction maneuvers, saving fuel that could be used to target another KBO.<ref>{{cite web |first=Stephen |last=Clark |title=Scientists firm up flyby plan for New Horizons's next destination |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/21/scientists-firm-up-flyby-plan-for-new-horizonss-next-destination/ |publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=September 21, 2017}}</ref><ref name="space_122118">{{cite web |last1=Wall |first1=Mike |title=New Horizons May Make Yet Another Flyby After Ultima Thule| url=https://www.space.com/42808-nasa-new-horizons-possible-third-flyby.html |website=space.com |date=December 21, 2018}}</ref> After the flyby, the spacecraft was left with {{cvt|11|kg|abbr=on}} of fuel.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46699737 New Horizons: Nasa waits for signal from Ultima Thule probe]. Jonathan Amos, ''BBC News''. January 1, 2019.</ref>
* Mid to late 2030s: Expected end of the mission, based on [[Physics:Radioisotope thermoelectric generator|RTG]] decay. Heliosphere data collection expected to be intermittent if instrument power sharing is required.<ref name='end of mission'>{{cite web |last=NASA |title=New Horizons |url=http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?Sort=Chron&Target=Jupiter&MCode=PKB&StartYear=2020&EndYear=2029&Display=Dates |work=NASA Solar System Exploration |publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |access-date=February 21, 2012 |date=July 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031026205743/http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?Sort=Chron |archive-date=October 26, 2003 }}</ref><ref name="space_122118"/>

== Post-mission phase ==
* 2038: ''New Horizons'' will be 100 AU from the [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]]. If still functioning, the probe will explore the outer [[Astronomy:Heliosphere|heliosphere]] and interstellar space along with the [[Astronomy:Voyager program|Voyager spacecraft]].<ref name="jhuapl2006">{{cite web|url=http://spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20620|title=New Horizons Salutes Voyager|date=August 17, 2006|publisher=Johns Hopkins APL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113224847/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/081706.php|archive-date=November 13, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=November 3, 2009}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{New Horizons}}

[[Category:New Horizons| ]]

{{Sourceattribution|Timeline of New Horizons}}