12887( 6) - 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 12887 Version: 6 Check-in Time: 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Precise Orbit Determination for New Horizons Candidate KBOs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Susan D. Benecchi Planetary Science Institute Y CoI: Dr. Keith S. Noll NASA Goddard Space Flight Center N CoI: Dr. Scott S. Sheppard Carnegie Institution of Washington N CoI: Dr. John R. Spencer Southwest Research Institute N CoI: Dr. S. Alan Stern Southwest Research Institute N CoI: Dr. Marc W. Buie Southwest Research Institute N CoI: Dr. Harold A. Weaver The Johns Hopkins University Applied N Physics Laboratory ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract The New Horizons (NH) spacecraft is on its way to study the Pluto system during a flyby after which the spacecraft will be retargeted to one or more Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) to learn about small KBOs and the Kuiper Belt population. We are actively carrying out dedicated ground-based observations to identify a target for NH to flyby and continue to improve our analysis algorithms. So far we have identified a few candidate objects, but none have proven to be within an accessible distance for NH, our searches will continue in 2012 and 2013. Unfortunately, NH's trajectory line of site is within the galactic plane (Sagittarius) making stellar confusion a major problem in obtaining precise astrometry and high precision orbits for these objects from the ground. HST's sensitivity, resolution and PSF stability are crucial components for determining precise orbits for these candidates. We have been awarded 2 TOO orbits to observe a KBO candidate to be triggered in the event that a candidate object is found within the targetable region. The observations we propose will also determine if the NH candidate is binary (~30% probability per candidate) and will make a preliminary color determination to assist in target selection. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ We obtain 2-455 second exposures using a manual dither pattern and 2-640 second exposures in the F814W filter to obtain a color measurement (0.1 magnitude uncertainty) on the NH KBO candidate. Both TOO orbits are planned to take the same set of exposures. This project imposes no orientation constraints and uses ordinary blind target acquisition. We tracking the object under FGS control, target motion rates are very slow, at most a few arcsec per hour. Real Time Justification ----------------------- Calibration Justification 12887( 6) - 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 - [ 2] ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12887( 6) - 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Solar System Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET NUMBER: 1 TARGET NAME: VNH0034 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET DESCRIPTION: ASTEROID NH-KBO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET POSITION LEVEL 1 TARGET POSITION LEVEL 2 TYPE=ASTEROID, A=49.14322117, E=0.35008658, I=2.97806, O=157.99643, W=25.56316, M=55.18679, EQUINOX=J2000, EPOCH=28-MAY-2013:00:00:00, EpochTimeScale=UTC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET POSITION LEVEL 3 WINDOWS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DATA COMMENTS V = 26.0 +/- 0.5 Ephemeris Center: EARTH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12887( 6) - 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 - [ 4] Visit: 01 Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 455 S (455 POS TARG 0, 0 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 640 S (640 POS TARG 0.099, 0.106 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 640 S (640 POS TARG 0, 0 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 455 S (455 POS TARG 0.099, 0.106 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VNH0034 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W none none none none 1 N/A S VNH0034 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W none none none none 1 N/A S VNH0034 3 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W none none none none 1 N/A S VNH0034 4 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W none none none none 1 N/A S 12887( 6) - 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 - [ 5] Visit: 02 Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE; AFTER 01 BY 10 Orbits TO 16 Orbits On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 455 S (455 POS TARG 0, 0 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 640 S (640 POS TARG 0.099, 0.106 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 640 S (640 POS TARG 0, 0 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 VNH0034 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W CR-SPLIT=NO 1 455 S (455 POS TARG 0.099, 0.106 S S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VNH0034 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W none none none none 1 N/A S VNH0034 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W none none none none 1 N/A S VNH0034 3 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F814W none none none none 1 N/A S VNH0034 4 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2 F606W none none none none 1 N/A S 12887( 6) - 03-Sep-2013 02:33:19 - [ 6] Summary Form for Proposal 12887 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures UVIS2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations WFC3/UVIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters CR-SPLIT=NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements AFTER 01 BY 10 Orbits TO 16 Orbits, PCS MODE FINE, POS TARG 0, 0, POS TARG 0.099, 0.106 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F606W, F814W ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names VNH0034 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------