A description of the Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft

Pluto is the only planet in our solar system that has not yet been visited by a spacecraft from Earth. Beyond the orbit of Pluto lies the Kuiper-Belt: home to many primordial objects from the earliest days of the formation of the solar system, preserved in a cosmic deep freeze. The Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) is planning the mission for the Principal Investigator, Dr. S. Alan Stern of Southwest Research Institute. The planned design of the New Horizons spacecraft, along with a discussion of the design drivers, is presented. The design lifetime of the spacecraft would be 15.25 years. Measures taken to ensure the reliable operation of the spacecraft over the life of the planned mission are discussed.