Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2007-09-26
Space Sci.Rev.140:129-154,2008
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
18 pages, 15 figures, 4 tables; To appear in a special volume of Space Science Reviews on the New Horizons mission
Scientific paper
10.1007/s11214-008-9375-7
The New Horizons instrument named Ralph is a visible/near infrared multi-spectral imager and a short wavelength infrared spectral imager. It is one of the core instruments on New Horizons, NASA's first mission to the Pluto/Charon system and the Kuiper Belt. Ralph combines panchromatic and color imaging capabilities with IR imaging spectroscopy. Its primary purpose is to map the surface geology and composition of these objects, but it will also be used for atmospheric studies and to map the surface temperature. It is a compact, low-mass (10.5 kg), power efficient (7.1 W peak), and robust instrument with good sensitivity and excellent imaging characteristics. Other than a door opened once in flight, it has no moving parts. These characteristics and its high degree of redundancy make Ralph ideally suited to this long-duration flyby reconnaissance mission.
Alan Stern S.
Baer James
Hanley Jacob J.
Hardaway Lisa
Jennings Donald E.
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