Investigation on the way to the Milky Way

Pluto is only two-thirds the diameter of the Moon. And the dwarf planet is five billion kilometers away. Nevertheless, an astronaut had already visited him. Until the day about six years ago, the “New Horizons” passed Pluto. Images of a large, heart-shaped surface structure will not be forgotten.

“New Horizons” failed to enter orbit on Pluto. The braking maneuver will consume more fuel than can be taken for inspection. So she flew past Pluto at high speed and then passed an ice object called Arogoth. The study is now 7.5 billion kilometers from the Sun – thus far beyond the outer reaches of the highly elliptical Pluto orbit.

New Horizons (NASA) is the second place for the 30 km Arogot object

So now “New Horizons” has left Pluto for good – and this study is gradually leaving the planetary system in one of five missions. Others, two “pioneer” and two “Voyager” studies are even more so: 16 to 23 billion kilometers separating them from the Sun and Earth.

The nuclear batteries on board the “New Horizons” board are expected to provide enough power for radio communication with Earth by the end of the 2030s. Then the study falls quietly, but the vastness of the Milky Way moves to new frontiers.