NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, renowned for its exploration of Pluto and the Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth, may soon face an uncertain fate as the agency contemplates ending the mission.
This immediately sparked controversy among the planetary science organizations as the majority of them disagreed with the decision.
Community Wants to Save New Horizons
The planetary science community has not taken NASA's decision lightly. The New Horizons science team received notice from NASA that the mission, as currently structured, is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2024. This news has prompted widespread objections and concerns from scientists and enthusiasts alike.
To save the fate of New Horizons missions, the National Space Society started a petition drive last August. The agency is hoping that NASA will reconsider to withdraw the changes.
Furthermore, members of the public who wish to advocate for the continuation of the New Horizons mission can also take a proactive approach by reaching out to their Congressional representatives.
These representatives possess the authority to communicate directly with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to express support for the mission and its dedicated science team.
This engagement is particularly crucial as NASA may require the current team to compete for their own mission in September.
Pioneering Mission With New Horizons
According to Universe Today, the New Horizons spacecraft remains actively engaged in scientific exploration as it traverses uncharted territories within the Solar System.
Last year, a NASA Senior Review panel commended the mission for its accomplishments and unique positioning within the outer Solar System. The panel emphasized that New Horizons holds a distinct role as the sole spacecraft poised to explore this region for the next 20-30 years.
Why NASA Decided to Lie-Low With New Horizons? The positive feedback that New Horizons got from the community is still not enough for NASA to continue the project. The agency's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) intends to replace the New Horizons Kuiper Belt team with a team specializing in heliophysics.
While the budget is not yet determined to be the reason behind the sudden hibernation of New Horizons, Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of the mission, believes that it makes no sense to cut the support for the spacecraft.
"You have a perfectly working spacecraft," he said, "and for only $3 million a year that it costs to support our Kuiper Belt science team, you're going to quit the very exploration of the Kuiper Belt the spacecraft was built and paid for to do? It makes no sense," Stern says.
With that being said, it's still up for NASA to resume or shut down the exploration in the Kuiper belt. As the agency said, the missions are scheduled to halt on September 30, 2024.
Earlier this month, NASA said that it's planning to bring laser communications to the ISS, according to Tech Times.
