NASA's New Horizons probe resumes operations after long hibernation and is ready to transmit scientific data

NASA's New Horizons probe has resumed its activities in good condition after the longest period of hibernation in the mission's history, which lasted almost a year. It is now ready to begin transmitting scientific data collected in the distant Kuiper Belt, far beyond Pluto.

Confirmation of Awakening

On June 23, flight controllers from the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at Johns Hopkins University in Laurel, Maryland (USA), confirmed that New Horizons safely woke up after a 321-day hibernation period that began on August 7. The probe was located approximately 9.5 billion kilometers from Earth.

Radio signals carrying this confirmation reached the APL Mission Control Center via the NASA Deep Space Network station near Madrid (Spain) after about 8 hours and 52 minutes.

Hibernation Mode and Data Collection

The mission team typically puts New Horizons into power-saving mode during long flight phases. During hibernation, operators do not send commands or extract data; however, the probe continuously collects and stores information using its solar wind sensors—Solar Wind at Pluto and Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation—as well as the Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter.

Alice Bowman, New Horizons Mission Operations Manager at APL, reported that the probe sent weekly status reports to Earth via the Deep Space Network. She emphasized that all status reports during the hibernation period were 'green,' indicating that everything aboard New Horizons was functioning normally each week.

Resumption of Operations

As New Horizons has resumed active operations, Bowman noted that the team will begin transmitting data on the probe's status and safety before moving on to data from three scientific instruments. In about three weeks, the Alice ultraviolet spectrograph aboard the probe will observe hydrogen distribution in the outer heliosphere. Meanwhile, the Solar Wind at Pluto, Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation, and Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter instruments will continue their measurements.

The ground team is conducting a series of checks on the probe and its instruments. The update of the ground system software is also being completed, which will facilitate the maintenance of the probe's operations. Testing has already begun and will continue for a year. New Horizons is operating with an updated autonomy logic designed for operations further from the Sun to account for expected energy reduction and the natural increase in radio signal transmission time.

The study of this remote region of the solar system is the final stage of a journey that began in January 2006 with the fastest recorded launch. The mission passed Jupiter in February 2007, which included impressive images of the gas giant and its moons. This was followed by the first exploration of the Pluto system in July 2015, and in January 2019, the first exploration of the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth. Since then, unique studies of the outer solar heliosphere and dozens of other Kuiper Belt objects have been conducted.

olhardigital.com.brJuly 7, 17:10

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope advances in final preparations before launch

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, developed by NASA, has reached an advanced stage of preparation after being positioned vertically by engineers from the Kennedy Space Center. This movement allows the observatory to proceed with crucial inspections and tests before its mission.

Technical Preparations and Logistics

According to the publication Science, this procedure is part of the activities preceding the telescope's final assembly for launch. The Roman was transported in a specialized container, maintaining strict control over temperature and humidity, traveling from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Upon arrival, technicians removed the observatory from the packaging and performed additional cleaning to eliminate any contaminants from the facility. Subsequently, the equipment was transferred to the large assembly hangar, where it will continue to undergo various stages of preparation.

Observatory's Next Steps

Subsequent phases include meticulous inspections of the observatory, conducting operational tests of its systems, pre-launch integration work, and final preparation for the space journey.

Observation Capability Superior to Hubble

The telescope is named after Nancy Grace Roman, recognized as NASA's first chief astronomer and a fundamental figure in the development of the Hubble Space Telescope. Its main purpose is to expand the capacity to study the cosmos and observe the Universe more completely.

Science points out that the Roman will feature a field of view at least one hundred times larger than Hubble's. This characteristic will allow it to capture more extensive spatial areas in a single observation, assisting scientists in analyzing various astronomical phenomena.

Launch Expected with Falcon Heavy

NASA, in partnership with SpaceX, plans to launch the telescope using the Falcon Heavy rocket, departing from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The mission is expected to occur on a date after Sunday, August 30th. Meanwhile, teams are dedicated to the necessary tests and procedures to ensure the full functionality of the observatory.

With its expanded vision compared to Hubble, the Roman establishes itself as a new and powerful tool for investigating distant regions of the Universe and seeking answers to central questions in contemporary astronomy.