NASA New Horizons Begins Intensive Data Download, Revealing Detailed New Pluto Images

Now that NASA New Horizons spacecraft has passed Pluto and is on its way to the Kuiper belt, it's now time to look at the data. The spacecraft has officially begun its intensive data downlink phase, while will tell scientists more than ever about the tiny dwarf planet.

The mission team is beginning an intensive downlinking of the tens of gigabits of data that the spacecraft collected and stored on its digital recorders. The process moves into high gear on Sept 5, and will take about one year to complete.

"This is what we came for-these images, spectra and other data types that are going to help us understand the origins and the evolution of the Pluto system for the first time," said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator, in a news release. "And what's coming is not just the remaining 95 percent of the data that's still aboard the spacecraft-it's the best datasets, the highest-resolution images and spectra, the most important atmospheric datasets, and more. It's a treasure trove."

During the data downlink phase, the spacecraft transmits science and operations data to NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) of antenna stations, which also provide services to other missions, like Voyager. The spacecraft's distance from Earth slows communication rates. In fact, with New Horizons past Pluto, the typical downlink rate is about 1 to 4 kilobits per second.

"The New Horizons mission has required patience for many years, but from the small amount of data we saw around the Pluto flyby, we know the results to come will be well worth the wait," said Hal Weaver, New Horizons project scientist.

For more information on the New Horizons mission, visit NASA's website.

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