NASA expects the first ever photos of Pluto – BBC Russian

• January 25, 2015

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Spacecraft “New Horizons” approach to Pluto is about 13 thousand kilometers of

NASA Spacecraft “New Horizons” will soon make the first photos of Pluto.

The unit “New Horizons” was launched into space nine years ago, before the International Astronomical Union ranked Pluto as a dwarf, not a full-fledged planets.

The distance from Earth to Pluto is about five billion kilometers.

The first pictures of Pluto will more accurately design the flight “New Horizons” near the planet, which is scheduled for July this year.

None of the spacecraft had never studied or the planet itself, nor any of its five satellites known to us.

Since the spacecraft is still 200 million kilometers from Pluto, the dwarf planet is barely visible in the photo – it will look like a point of light on the background of stars.

However, the leaders of the expedition say that these pictures are extremely important in order to adjust the trajectory of the spacecraft, which will fly past Pluto on July 14.

Correction path

“The optical navigation – is one way to adjust the flight, during which as you get closer to Pluto will be regularly made his shots to determine the position of the spacecraft relative to the planet “- explains the scientist from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Mark Holdridge.

Pluto is composed primarily of rock and ice, its mass is less than the mass of the moon five times and volume – three times

“After that, we will hold a series of maneuvers and correct the flight path so as to reach the target and fly through the Pluto system,” – he said.

As expected, the first trajectory correction spacecraft “New Horizons” will be held in March.

When the spacecraft reaches Pluto system, it will fly so fast – at a speed of about 14 kilometers per second – that enter the orbit of the planet will be almost impossible, he will fly through the Pluto’s satellite system.

The closest unit “New Horizons” approach to Pluto, according to estimates, July 14 at 11:50 GMT. At this point, it will be at 13,695 kilometers from the planet’s surface.