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New Horizons science goals FROM MISSION PRESS KIT Posted: January 8, 2006
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.
