Spacecraft
New Horizons
A robotic probe that flew past Pluto and later the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth.
Why it matters
Close flybys revealed worlds that had previously been observed only from great distances.
Specific hardware / deep-space probes
Overview
New Horizons made its Pluto encounter in 2015 and its Arrokoth flyby in 2019. It is a flyby spacecraft rather than a Pluto orbiter, so carefully planned encounter sequences were essential.
Educational reference, reviewed . This page is not a live mission-status report.
How it works
Instruments record images, spectra and particle measurements during the passage. Data are stored onboard and transmitted over the long-distance radio link afterward.
Why it matters
Close flybys revealed worlds that had previously been observed only from great distances.
Key facts & specifications
Values apply only to the hardware or configuration described. Unverified measurements are omitted.
- Role
- Flyby science
NASA · New Horizons ↗ - Destination
- Kuiper Belt
NASA · New Horizons ↗
Illustration gallery
Original educational diagrams, not photographs of specific hardware.
Cosmic Civilizations · original educational vector illustration
Original artwork created for Cosmic Civilizations; no agency imagery or endorsement.
Real-world applications
- Pluto system
- Arrokoth
Read the primary references for the original mission context and technical limits.
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Sources & further reading
Agency references are educational citations, not endorsements. Editorial diagrams are original artwork; community uploads appear separately below and do not inherit these credits or permissions.
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