answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

From the New Horizons mission guide:

Science Priorities

Based largely on what the scientific community wanted to learn about Pluto and Charon, NASA prioritized its science goals for Pluto-system exploration in three categories:

Required

• Characterize the global geology and morphology of Pluto and Charon

• Map surface composition of Pluto and Charon

• Characterize the neutral atmosphere of Pluto and its escape rate

Important

• Characterize the time variability of Pluto's surface and atmosphere

• Image Pluto and Charon in stereo

• Map the terminators (day/night lines) of Pluto and Charon in high resolution

• Map the composition of selected areas of Pluto and Charon at high resolution

• Characterize Pluto's ionosphere and solar wind interaction

• Search for neutral species (including hydrocarbons and nitriles) in Pluto's upper atmosphere

• Search for an atmosphere around Charon

• Determine bolometric bond albedos for Pluto and Charon

• Map the surface temperatures on Pluto and Charon

Desired

• Characterize the energetic particle environment of Pluto and Charon

• Refine bulk parameters (radii, masses, densities) and orbits of Pluto and Charon

• Search for magnetic fields of Pluto and Charon

• Search for additional satellites and rings

NASA defines mission success as meeting the "required" objectives. With its full science payload -- three optical instruments, two plasma instruments, a radio science receiver/radiometer and a dust sensor - New Horizons expects to exceed these requirements, meeting or addressing all of the objectives in each category.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: When the probe gets to Pluto what will it be looking for?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

When did a probe go to Pluto?

No probes have been to Pluto yet, but the New Horizons probe is currently on the way there.


What is the name of the probe headed to Pluto?

The probe that is headed to Pluto is called New Horizons. It was launched by NASA in 2006 to study Pluto and its moons.


Does Pluto matter?

For right now no. But the U.S has sent out a probe to get pictures from pluto


Has a space probe been sent to Pluto?

yes


What was the name of the probe that was sent to Pluto?

New Horizons


Does Pluto have transits?

Yes,we just can't see them unless we fly a probe out behind Pluto.


How do get to planet Pluto?

At the moment we do not have the technology to send a manned probe to Pluto, or any other planet.


Which planet its yet to be reached by a space probe?

Pluto is one such planet that has not yet been reached by a space probe.


Did any robot visit Pluto?

Not yet. The New Horizons space probe will fly by Pluto in 2015. It will be the first.


Have any robots or spacecraft visited Pluto?

Yes. The space probe New Horizons flew by Pluto in 2015.


What space probe visited Pluto and what year?

No Space Probes have currently visited Pluto. However NASA launched a space probe called New Horizons to take pictures of pluto and to discover more objects in the Kuiper Belt. New Horizons is expected to arrive at Pluto in July 2015.


Are astronorts on there way to Pluto?

No humans are planned to, or going to, Pluto. New Horizons, a space probe is expected to reach Pluto on 14th July 2015