New Horizons 2
{{short description|Proposed NASA mission}}
File:New Horizons Transparent.png
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New Horizons 2 (also New Horizons II, NHII, or NH2) was a proposed mission to the trans-Neptunian objects by NASA. It was conceived as a planetary flyby mission in 2002, based on the New Horizons spacecraft, which was in development at the time.{{Cite web |last=Portree |first=David S. F. |date=May 22, 2012 |title=New Horizons II (2004-2005) |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/05/new-horizons-ii-2004-2005/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526152209/https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/05/new-horizons-ii-2004-2005/ |archive-date=26 May 2012 |access-date=30 October 2018 |website=Wired.com}}{{Cite web |last=Stern |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Stern |last2=Binzel |first2=Rick |last3=Levison |first3=Hal |last4=Lopes |first4=Rosaly |last5=Millis |first5=Bob |last6=Moore |first6=Jeff |display-authors=2 |title=New Horizons 2 |url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/new_horizons2.pdf |access-date=2 August 2013 |publisher=Lunar and Planetary Institute}} In March 2005, the proposal was not selected for further development because of a shortage of plutonium-238 needed for the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG).{{Cite report |url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/nh2_final_report.pdf |title=Final report of the New Horizons II review panel |last=Anderson |first=Kenneth |last2=Bearden |first2=David |date=May 31, 2005 |publisher=Lunar and Planetary Institute |last3=Bitten |first3=Robert |last4=Bordi |first4=Franceso |last5=Cochran |first5=Anita |last6=Cohen |first6=Allan |last7=Donivan |first7=Frank |last8=Dudzinski |first8=Leonard |last9=Frazier |first9=Timothy |last10=Mahr |first10=Eric |last11=McGrath |first11=Melissa |last12=Van Damme |first12=Paul |last13=Emmons |first13=Debra |display-authors=2}} The New Horizons 2 study was funded by the New Frontiers program, and delivered to the U.S. Congress in June 2005.{{Cite web |date=June 2005 |title=Presentation: SSE Decadal Survey and New Horizons: A Rough Start |url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/meetings/jun2005/presentations/NH2_Decadal_API.pdf |website=Lunar and Planetary Institute}}
Description
New Horizons 2 was included in the tentative budget for the New Frontiers program missions. In 2004, the United States Senate on Appropriations Committee provided additional funding for New Horizons 2, a new Kuiper belt mission.{{Cite web |last=Stern |first=Alan |date=October 5, 2004 |title=New Horizons For Planetary Exploration |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/news/outerplanets-04h.html |access-date=January 22, 2014 |website=SpaceDaily |publication-place=Bouler, CO}} As early as 2004, there was a conference on how to make the most use of New Horizons 2{{'s}} Uranus flyby.{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Jeff |date=June 5, 2004 |title=Revolution Afoot– Cheaper, More Frequent Outer Planets Missions – New Horizons II Workshop |url=https://spacenews.com/revolution-afoot-cheaper-more-frequent-outer-planets-missions-new-horizons-ii-workshop/ |access-date=March 2, 2023 |website=Spacenews}}
Candidate targets included 47171 Lempo, a system that, like Pluto–Charon, contains multiple bodies.{{Cite book |last=Bruno |first=Claudio |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aI9QhDA4AVwC&pg=PA378 |title=Future spacecraft propulsion systems: enabling technologies for space exploration |last2=Czysz |first2=Paul A. |date=2009 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-540-88814-7 |edition=2. |series=Springer Praxis books in astronautical engineering |location=Berlin |page=378}} The mission plan for Lempo also included flybys of Jupiter and Uranus, and perhaps four Kuiper belt objects (KBO). There was a lot of flexibility: even without a gravity assist, any KBO within 50 AU and a 20-year flight time was possible. A flyby of Neptune's largest moon Triton was also considered, with 66652 Borasisi as a potential follow-on. {{mpl-|55637|2002 UX|25}} was also considered for a visit, as it had a similar orbit to Lempo.{{Cite web |last=Portree |first=David S. F. |date=14 July 2015 |title=No Shortage of Dreams: New Horizons II (2004-2005) |url=http://spaceflighthistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-horizons-ii-2004-2005.html |website=No Shortage of Dreams}}
See also
- Innovative Interstellar Explorer (2003 concept study for RTG powered ion-engined probe to 200 AU by 2030)
- List of New Horizons topics
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{PPTlink|[http://www.boulder.swri.edu/pkb/NH2_community_info.ppt New Horizons 2 Concept Overview (Feb 2005)]|15.6MB}}
- [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/nh2_final_report.pdf Final Report of the New Horizons 2 review panel] via Lunar and Planetary Institute
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{{Planetary Missions Program Office|New Frontiers=y}}
{{Asteroid spacecraft}}
{{Jupiter spacecraft}}
{{Uranus}}
Category:Missions to minor planets