Exploration of dwarf planets

Exploring dwarf planets demands significant fuel resources, which vary depending on the targeted celestial bodies.{{cite web |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/022807.php |title=Pluto-Bound New Horizons Spacecraft Gets a Boost from Jupiter |publisher=Johns Hopkins APL |date=February 28, 2007 |access-date=27 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113224828/http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/022807.php |archive-date=November 13, 2014}} However, various methods have been developed to conserve fuel in probes traveling long distances.

File:New Horizons - REX.jpegs to ensure communication with Earth over vast distances.]]

Missions to dwarf planets in the outer Solar System necessitate careful planning and execution, with spacecraft hibernation employed specifically to conserve energy for the prolonged interplanetary journeys. This allows the spacecraft to endure the extended travel time while maintaining essential functions for navigation and communication.{{cite book|first1=Alice |last1=Bowman|title=Space Ops 2010 Conference|chapter=Spacecraft Hibernation: Concept vs. Reality, A Mission Operations Manager's Perspective|date=25 April 2010|publisher=AIAA SpaceOps 2010 Conference|doi=10.2514/6.2010-2161|isbn=978-1-62410-164-9}}{{cite conference|first1=John L. |last1=West |first2=Andrea |last2=Accomazzo |first3=Arthur B. |last3=Chmielewski |first4=Paolo |last4=Ferri|title=Space mission hibernation mode design: Lessons learned from Rosetta and other pathfinding missions using hibernation|date=28 June 2018|conference=2018 IEEE Aerospace Conference|doi=10.1109/AERO.2018.8396812}}

Successful missions to distant dwarf planets also require substantial fuel reserves on board. These reserves are crucial for trajectory adjustments, course corrections, and orbital insertions upon arrival at the target dwarf planet. The spacecraft's propulsion systems must deliver the necessary thrust over long distances to counter the gravitational influences of celestial bodies encountered during the journey.

Gravity assists are critical for optimizing spacecraft trajectories and accelerating them toward their target dwarf planets. During a gravity assist, the spacecraft uses the gravitational pull of celestial bodies, such as planets or moons, to gain momentum and alter its trajectory without expending extra fuel. Careful planning of these maneuvers can significantly reduce travel time and fuel requirements for reaching distant dwarf planets.{{cite web |last1=Shortt |first1=David |title=Gravity assist |url=https://www.planetary.org/articles/20130926-gravity-assist |website=The Planetary Society |access-date=28 May 2024 |date=27 September 2013}}

High-gain antennas are pivotal in space exploration, especially in missions to distant celestial bodies like dwarf planets. Unlike conventional antennas, high-gain antennas concentrate their radiation pattern into a narrow beam, enhancing signal strength and data transmission rates. This feature is vital for maintaining uninterrupted contact with spacecraft operating in the remote reaches of the Solar System, where radio signals undergo significant attenuation. By leveraging high-gain antennas, mission controllers can receive crucial scientific data and telemetry from spacecraft exploring dwarf planets, enabling real-time monitoring and operational control. Furthermore, these antennas facilitate the exchange of commands and instructions, empowering spacecraft to execute intricate maneuvers and scientific observations autonomously.{{cite book |title=Proceedings of the 11th National Technical Seminar on Unmanned System Technology 2019: NUSYS'19 |author1=Zainah Md Zain |author2=Hamzah Ahmad |author3=Dwi Pebrianti |author4=Mahfuzah Mustafa |author5=Nor Rul Hasma Abdullah |author6=Rosdiyana Samad |author7=Maziyah Mat Noh |publisher=Springer Nature |year=2020 |isbn=978-981-15-5281-6 |page=535 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_LvDwAAQBAJ}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=t_LvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA535 Extract of page 535]

File:PIA22769-CeresDwarfPlanet-AhunaMons-LastLooks-20181101.jpg, revealing the rugged terrain of Ceres, including one of its prominent features, Ahuna Mons.]]

{{main|Dawn (spacecraft)}}

In September 2007, the Dawn spacecraft launched on a mission from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2007/elvstatus-20070511.html |title=Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report |date=May 11, 2007 |publisher=NASA |access-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-date=June 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623162426/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2007/elvstatus-20070511.html |url-status=dead }} on a mission to explore two of the three largest bodies in the asteroid belt, 4 Vesta and 1 Ceres. After nearly four years, Dawn entered orbit around Vesta on July 16, 2011. Subsequently, on September 5, 2012, it concluded its Vesta mission and commenced its journey to Ceres.{{cite web |last1=Wall |first1=Mike |title=Dawn Is Dead: NASA's Pioneering Asteroid-Belt Mission Runs Out of Fuel |url=https://www.space.com/42322-nasa-dawn-mission-ceres-vesta-ends.html |website=Space.com |access-date=27 May 2024 |date=1 November 2018}}

On December 1, 2014, Dawn captured images revealing an extended disc around Ceres. In January 2015, it compiled a series of images of Ceres into a stop-motion animation, depicting its rotation in low resolution. Following January 26, 2015, Dawn obtained higher-quality images than those captured by ground telescopes.{{cite web |url=http://dawnblog.jpl.nasa.gov/2014/10/31/dawn-journal-october-31/#sthash.OPRlufJs.dpuf |title=Dawn Journal October 31 |publisher=NASA |date=October 31, 2014 |access-date=January 18, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120120112/http://dawnblog.jpl.nasa.gov/2014/10/31/dawn-journal-october-31/#sthash.OPRlufJs.dpuf |archive-date=January 20, 2015 }} It entered orbit around Ceres on March 6, 2015.

On October 31, 2018, Dawn exhausted its fuel reserves and lost communication with Earth. The spacecraft will remain in orbit around Ceres until at least 2038.

{{main|Exploration of Pluto#New Horizons}}

File:Pluto in True Color - High-Res.jpg probe from a distance of 35,445 kilometers (22,025 miles), showcasing its intricate nitrogen geology.]]

In 2006, the New Horizons probe launched on its mission to explore the Plutonian system.

In 2007, New Horizons performed a gravity assist using Jupiter. This maneuver increased the probe's velocity by {{cvt|4|km/s|km/h mph|-3}}, cutting its travel time to Pluto by three years.

On February 4, 2015, New Horizons entered the Plutonian system, capturing images of Pluto and its moon Charon from about {{convert|203000000|km|mi|abbr=on}} away. From April to June 2015, New Horizons delivered higher-quality images than those from ground telescopes.{{cite web |title=Timeline |url=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/index.php |author=NASA |date=2015 |access-date=14 July 2015 |work=New Horizons News Center, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory}}{{cite web |url=http://aviationweek.com/space/new-horizons-delivering-pluto-imagery-better-resolution-hubble |title=New Horizons Delivering Pluto Imagery With Better Resolution Than Hubble |date=29 April 2015 |access-date=14 July 2015 |work=aviationweek.com |first=Frank |last=Morring Jr.}}

On July 14, 2015, the New Horizons probe took close-up photos of Pluto from 18,000 kilometers away. The data collected was transmitted to Earth and received on September 13, 2015.{{Cite web|title = Sunset on Pluto [Slide Show]| website=Scientific American |url = http://www.scientificamerican.com/slideshow/sunset-on-pluto-slide-show/|access-date = 2015-09-17}}{{Cite web|title = Pluto 'Wows' in Spectacular New Backlit Panorama|date = 17 September 2015|url = http://www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-wows-in-spectacular-new-backlit-panorama|access-date = 2015-09-18|archive-date = 17 September 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150917225318/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-wows-in-spectacular-new-backlit-panorama/|url-status = dead}}

{{main|Shensuo (spacecraft)}}

IHP-1 is a proposed spacecraft in the Shensuo program ({{zh|s=神梭}}), designed to fly by Jupiter, the dwarf planet 50000 Quaoar, and its moon Weywot, before heading into interstellar space.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Andrew |title=China to launch a pair of spacecraft towards the edge of the solar system |url=https://spacenews.com/china-to-launch-a-pair-of-spacecraft-towards-the-edge-of-the-solar-system/ |access-date=29 April 2021 |work=SpaceNews |publisher=SpaceNews |date=16 April 2021}}

IHP-1 is set to launch with IHP-2 and the proposed IHP-3. IHP-1 will use gravity assists from Earth in October 2025 and December 2027. It will then fly by Jupiter in March 2029, traveling towards the heliosphere. On its way to interstellar space, it will encounter 50000 Quaoar and its moon Weywot in 2040.{{cite journal |last1=Wu |first1=Weiren |last2=Yu |first2=Dengyun |last3=Huang |first3=Jiangchuan |last4=Zong |first4=Qiugang |last5=Wang |first5=Chi |last6=Yu |first6=Guobin |last7=He |first7=Rongwei |last8=Wang |first8=Qian |last9=Kang |first9=Yan |last10=Meng |first10=Linzhi |last11=Wu |first11=Ke |last12=He |first12=Jiansen |last13=Li |first13=Hui |title=Exploring the solar system boundary |journal=Scientia Sinica Informationis |date=2019-01-09 |volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=1 |doi=10.1360/N112018-00273 |s2cid=86476811 |language=en |issn=2095-9486|doi-access=free }}

{{main|Exploration of Pluto#Future mission concepts}}

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{{legend|#ccffcc|In progress}}

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{{See also|Colonization of trans-Neptunian objects}}

File:Pluto (artist's impression).tif's rugged surface, highlighting its diverse terrain and featuring its largest moon, Charon.]]

The concept of human exploration of dwarf planets has intrigued scientists since Pluto's discovery in 1930. Despite the vast distances and significant challenges, advancements in space technology could make such endeavors possible. Colonizing dwarf planets offers potential economic benefits due to the presence of rare and valuable ores.{{cite web |last1=Benningfield |first1=Damond |title=Dwarf Planets Show Evidence of Recent Geologic Activity |url=https://eos.org/articles/dwarf-planets-show-evidence-of-recent-geologic-activity#:~:text=The%20dwarf%20planets%20in%20the,interior%20oceans%20of%20liquid%20water. |website=Eos |access-date=27 May 2024 |date=27 March 2024}}

Mining operations on dwarf planets present significant economic opportunities. These bodies may harbor rare elements and minerals, including hydrocarbons and precious metals like platinum.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

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Category:Dwarf planets

Category:Discovery and exploration of the Solar System