This Week In Maryland’s History – New Horizons Spacecraft Begins Its Journey To Pluto

GREENBELT, Md. — On Jan. 19, 2006, the New Horizons spacecraft took to the skies in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to explore our solar system. New Horizons was the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto, a well-known dwarf planet in the Milky Way. The craft then went on to journey through the greater Kuiper Belt.

Though New Horizons didn’t launch in Maryland, the Old Line State majorly contributed to its creation, so the launch was a big deal for Maryland’s space exploration community. We’re going to walk you through what led up to that fateful day and how Maryland contributed to one of the most notable spacecraft launches in American history.

Lead-Up To The New Horizons Lift-Off

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is a major location in Greenbelt, Maryland, and it’s a hotspot for innovation in the field of space exploration. Not only did the scientists and engineers at Goddard help to develop the technology for the New Horizons mission, but they also played a large role in the spin-balance testing phase, among other types of testing.

The Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array was developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center, too, part of an infrared camera called Ralph that would aid in mapping Pluto. These essential steps taken by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland were the backbone of the New Horizons mission.

Additionally, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory built the New Horizons craft in Laurel, Maryland, offering an even greater connection between our state and the mission.

Totaling about the size of a grand piano, according to NASA, New Horizons launched in Florida on Jan. 19, 2006. The craft eventually reached its closest point to Pluto nearly a decade later on July 14, 2015. The mission identified new terrains on Pluto’s surface, like glaciers and possibly even ice volcanoes, commonly referred to as cryovolcanoes.

The New Horizons mission was incredibly successful, and Goddard’s dedicated staff is part of the reason why it eventually made its way into outer space.

Maryland’s Greater Contribution To Space Exploration

Outside of the New Horizons mission, Maryland isn’t any stranger to space exploration and innovation. Located in Greenbelt, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is a significant hub for space exploration and science, while the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore is a gold mine of telescope activity.

Additionally, the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County has been an essential training location for many historic astronauts, offering a deep connection between space exploration and the Southern Maryland region.

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