Astrophysics with New Horizons: Making the Most of a Generational Opportunity

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https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1538-3873/aadb77

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http://hdl.handle.net/11603/24404

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UMBC Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST) / Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences & Technology II (CRSST II)
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8403-8548

Date

2018-09-28

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journal articles
preprints
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Citation of Original Publication

Zemcov, Michael et al. Astrophysics with New Horizons: Making the Most of a Generational Opportunity.Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 130 (Sept 28, 2018) 993. https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/aadb77

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This is the version of the article before peer review or editing, as submitted by an author to Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.  IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it.  The Version of Record is available online at https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/aadb77

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Abstract

The outer solar system provides a unique, quiet vantage point from which to observe the universe around us, where measurements could enable several niche astrophysical science cases that are too di cult to perform near Earth. NASA's New Horizons mission comprises an instrument package that provides imaging capability from UV to near-IR wavelengths with moderate spectral resolution located beyond the orbit of Pluto. A carefully designed survey with New Horizons can optimize the use of expendable propellant and the limited data telemetry bandwidth to allow several measurements, including a detailed understanding of the cosmic extragalactic background light, studies of the local and extragalactic UV background, measurements of the properties of dust and ice in the outer solar system, con rmation and characterization of transiting exoplanets, determinations of the mass of dark objects using gravitational microlensing, and rapid follow-up of transient events. New Horizons is currently in an extended mission designed to focused on the Kuiper Belt that will conclude in 2021. The astrophysics community has a unique, generational opportunity to use this mission for astronomical observation at heliocentric distances beyond 50 AU in the next decade. In this paper, we discuss the potential science cases for such an extended mission, and provide an initial assessment of the most important operational requirements and observation strategies it would require. We conclude that New Horizons is capable of transformative science, and that it would make a valuable and unique asset for astrophysical science that is unlikely to be replicated in the near future.