After Pluto, New Horizon Spacecraft to Explore Tiny Kuiper Belt Object (KBO)

NASA’s New Horizon Spacecraft, which was deployed for observing and exploring the dwarf planet Pluto, is now moving beyond the planet for a new advantageous mission – exploring a small Kuiper Belt object (KBO), dubbed as 2014 MU69. In its lifetime, the spaceship has delivered NASA with the wealth of information regarding the last planet of the solar system – Pluto and now its mission of exploring the tiny KBO is expected to enrich the scientists with hoards of new and useful data about the celestial bodies.

NASA’s robotic probe ‘New Horizons’ mission which finished off its first Pluto discovery mission in 2015, is now being prepared for taking a close flyby to the ice-blanketed, far-off a city mass bunch of rock, including the Kuiper Belt object (KBO), known as 2014 MU69. The targeted object is positioned in the Kuiper Belt – an isolated province which is packed with trillions of arctic rocks and circles the solar system. As per the official announcement, the mission is scheduled to commence on 1st January 2019. The small KBO 2014 MU69, which is situated at an approximate distance of 6.4 billion kilometers or 4 billion miles from Earth, is expected to give scientists new lead towards the discovery of some useful info about the solar system.

NASA owned and operated ‘New Horizons’ mission was the first spaceship to observe Pluto. It was also the first to take the closest flyby to the dwarf planet. Ever since, the spaceship took the wings to Pluto, on 19th January 2006, it has given the researchers ample of information about the planet. During its closest flyby, the spaceship sent huge amounts of data, which later revealed by NASA in October 2016.

Up to now, the exact size of the targeted celestial object is in vague, as no spaceships have been able to deliver precise details about its mass. However, as per the scientific estimations, the small KBO is expected to spread between 13 miles (21 kilometers) and 25 miles (40 kilometers). The object is located nearly 1.6 million far from Pluto. However, except the alleged size of KBO, scientists lack any other information about its figure, orbital rapidity, color, and about the existence of its moon.