Colorado Scientists Have a Lot Riding on Pluto Mission
Colorado scientists have a lot riding on the space mission scheduled to rendezvous with Pluto on Tuesday.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. delivered Ralph, the imaging instrument providing the “eyes” of the New Horizons mission.
The mission also includes a stardust counter built and operated by CU-Boulder students.
According to the Denver Post, Longmont-based Custom Microwave developed a solid black coating that absorbs light and radiation in space.
Starsys Research Corp., based in Boulder, developed the device that controls the temperature on the spacecraft.
The $728 million New Horizons launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 19, 2006, aboard an Atlas V rocket built by about 1,000 Lockheed Martin workers in Littleton. Lockheed Martin also provided a generator for the spacecraft.
