New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission Science Planning Opportunity
S. Stern SwRI
The centerpiece of the proposed New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission (NH-KEM) is the very close flyby of the 20–40 kilometer-wide Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) 2014 MU69 on 1 January 2019. NH-KEM will also observe about 20 other KBOs at phase angles and/or at resolutions not otherwise possible, producing a unique database of KBO phase curves, satellite searches, and ring searches.
If NH-KEM is approved, mission schedules require that both distant KBO observations and MU69 close flyby planning must begin almost immediately.
The New Horizons team plans to use a portion of its September Science Team Meeting the week of 19 September to gather community input to NH-KEM observation plans.
Those who are interested in listening to or potentially presenting at this activity should complete the indication of interest form on the New Horizons webpage.