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Space Topics: Pluto and CharonMissions to Pluto and CharonNo spacecraft has yet traveled to Pluto and Charon.
New Horizons Pluto / Kuiper belt flyby New Horizons is the result of a long battle to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a Jupiter gravity assist trajectory to Pluto. If New Horizons launches in January 2006, it will take about 9 years to reach Pluto. If it launches later, the Jupiter gravity assist is no longer an option, and the trip will take 12 years or more. A secondary launch window is available from February 2-17, 2007, with a Pluto arrival in 2019 or 2020. New Horizons will fly within 9,600 kilometers (6,000 miles) of Pluto and will come as close as 27,000 kilometers (17,000 miles) to Charon. After that, the spacecraft can go on to target multiple Kuiper belt objects over 5 to 10 more years. |
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