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NASA'southward New Horizons probe has already fabricated history several times. At launch, it was the fastest probe ever launched from Earth with a speed of more than 36,000 mph. Information technology was also the beginning spacecraft to written report the dwarf planet Pluto upwardly close. Now, it's on runway for another first. In late 2022, New Horizons will encounter a Kuiper Belt object known as MU69. It turns out this object could be two or even three distinct bodies.

Considering New Horizons had to reach such high speeds to arrive at Pluto in a reasonable amount of time, information technology could only perform a flyby of the dwarf planet. At that place was no way it could enter orbit of Pluto without a massive amount of fuel to counter all that speed. So, we only accept several days of close-upwards observations from that phase of the mission. However, this as well gave NASA a gamble to check out more Kuiper Chugalug objects in the outer solar system.

After scanning for possible targets using the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA selected MU69 every bit the probe'due south new destination. Two of the probe'due south hydrazine thrusters fired for 16 minutes to bend New Horizons' trajectory toward MU69. Astronomers have been observing the object in hopes of learning something about its composition earlier the probe gets there.

MU69 is between xix and 28 miles across, which sounds large, but it'south likewise minor and nighttime to be observed clearly from Earth. However, astronomers have been able to larn a bit about MU69 via occultation, when MU69 passes in front end of a distant star. They report the main torso of MU69 may actually be ii distinct objects locked in orbit of each other (a binary system). In that location is also testify for a 3rd small moonlet that orbits the primary torso or bodies several hundred kilometers away.

It's nonetheless possible MU69 is just one object that happens to exist very "lumpy," only even and then, seeing information technology upwards close will be an of import scientific achievement. New Horizons volition become within 2,100 miles (iii,500 km) of MU69. At that range, it can produce images with a resolution of 30 meters per pixel. MU69 will be the nearly distant and pristine object ever visited by a spacecraft — this is fabric that hasn't changed since the germination of the solar organization.

New Horizons volition conduct nine days of extensive written report as information technology nears MU69 on December 25, 2022. The closest arroyo should occur on January 1st, and images will exist returned several days later.