Doing WHAT with New Horizons, NASA?

Over on Universe At this time, I wrote in April about how NASA’s proposed plans for New Horizons seem just a little bit inexplicable. I needed to share my opinion right here about the entire thing.

Principally, the Science Mission Directorate is considering stopping planetary science utilizing this spacecraft and turning it right into a heliophysics mission. Not sooner or later just a few years from now, however basically in a few yr. To be clear, that’s WHILE the spacecraft continues to be exploring the Kuiper Belt. It’s not going to be leaving that area of the photo voltaic system for no less than 5 years, possibly longer.

Not solely does this misguided plan reduce off planetary science, however NASA floated the concept of changing the complete science crew presently operating the mission with … nicely, another crew but to be outlined, and truthfully, it’s not very clear who would take over.

New Horizons within the Kuiper Belt

As New Horizons passes by way of the Kuiper Belt, it’s learning objects close to and much. It’s helped the present groups uncover no less than one other few dozen Kuiper Belt worlds. Because the spacecraft speeds alongside, the crew is searching for one other flyby goal, which is a prolonged and painstaking course of. Possibly there’s an object on the trail New Horizons is taking, possibly there isn’t. If there may be, it’s one other likelihood to rise up shut and private with a never-before-explored world within the photo voltaic system.

So, having a spacecraft passing by way of this area goes to assist planetary scientists in an enormous manner. It’s giving them some insights into the formation of Kuiper Belt objects, and the variations between the our bodies that populate this area. After all, the spacecraft can be—and HAS BEEN —doing heliophysics all alongside. That’s been an integral a part of the mission, together with look-back observations of Uranus and Neptune, plus some astrophysical work.

Why Truncate New Horizons, Folks Are Asking

So, I’ve to surprise why NASA is suggesting taking the spacecraft away from the crew that’s operating it, truncating planetary science, and giving the entire mission to individuals who didn’t assist run it or construct it within the first place. NASA solicited enter for this proposal again in April, asking scientists to provide their opinions on this concept.

A few weeks in the past, a bunch of outstanding scientists did simply that in a letter to NASA. They mentioned the next:

“The New Horizons crew, significantly its science crew, and science management crew has accomplished a powerful job at each stage of this essential and spectacular undertaking, they usually proceed to take action. Current discussions at NASA surrounding changing this crew, partially or in entire, are each misguided and unfair, and would set a foul precedent for NASA.

As the primary and solely deliberate spacecraft exploration of the Kuiper Belt, New Horizons is a jewel within the Nation’s and NASA’s portfolio of house management. We the undersigned ask NASA, the Administration, and Congress to reverse course on each of those essential issues.”

Courtesy: Planetary Exploration Publication.

Signers embody a powerful array of individuals: previous NASA officers, of us from the Planetary Society, authors akin to Ann Druyan and Homer Hickam, planetary scientists, a Nobel laureate, astrophysicist (and rock musician) Brian Might, and lots of others. All of them instantly noticed, as I did, the strangeness of this proposal. They surprise why NASA proposes to make such a drastic change to this well-regarded and productive spacecraft and its crew.

The entire concept units a fairly poor precedent for NASA. It tells scientists, in essence, “We are able to take your spacecraft away from you after all of the profession work you’ve accomplished, and provides it to any individual else, regardless of how a lot nice science you’re doing.”

That’s hardly encouraging to people who find themselves anticipated to spend nice chunks of their careers planning, proposing, constructing, and sending spacecraft “on the market” after which doing the heavy lifting of science gathering and evaluation.

I want I knew what was going to occur with this concept. To this point, there’s been no phrase from NASA concerning the “suggestions” they received. I can solely hope that sufficient individuals instructed them precisely what they considered this proposal.