written by jeff foust, on may 4th, 2023

who: nasa

what: deciding the future of the missions carried out by the new horizons space craft as it passes through the kuyper belt

when: the meeting was held may 3rd

why: they feel like it might be necessary to end its planetary mission in 2024 while continuing its astrophysics and heliophysics missions until a later date

interesting paragraph: (para 2) “the uncertainty about the future of the new horizons mission started last year when nasa reviewed a proposal from the mission’s science team for a second extended mission. the spacecraft, launched in 2006, flew by pluto in 2015 and the kuiper belt object arrokoth in early 2019, and will continue to traverse the kuiper belt through 2028.” 

Read More