Ralph (New Horizons)

Composite image from Ralph-MVIC of Jupiter

Ralph is a science instrument aboard the unmanned New Horizons spacecraft, which was launched in 2006.[1] Ralph is a visible and infrared imager and spectrometer to provide maps of relevant astronomical targets based on data from that hardware.[2] Ralph has two major subinstruments, LEISA and MVIC.[3] MVIC stands for Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera and is a color imaging device, while LEISA stood for Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array and is an infrared imaging spectrometer for spaceflight.[4] LEISA observes 250 discrete wavelengths of infrared light from 1.25 to 2.5 micrometers light wavelengths.[5]

Ralph is one of seven major instruments aboard New Horizons which was launched in 2006 and flew-by dwarf planet Pluto in 2015.[6][7]

At Pluto, Ralph enables the observation of many aspects including:[8]

  • geology
  • form
  • structure
  • surface composition
  • surface temperature

Ralph and Alice were used to characterize the Atmosphere of Pluto in 2015.[9] Ralph was previously used to observer planet Jupiter and its moons in 2006 and in 2007 when flewby en route out of the Solar System and past Pluto.[10][11] Observations of Jupiter were taken with Ralph in February 2007, when New Horizons was about 6 million kilometers (nearly 4 million miles) from the giant.[12]

It is planned that Ralph will observe MU69 on the planned flyby with closest approach planned for new year's day 2019.[13] It is reported Ralph in conjunction with LORRI telescope will be used to make digital elevation map of the body.[14] (see also (486958) 2014 MU69 ('Ultima Thule')

Naming

Ralph is named after a character in the The Honeymooners (a 1950s television show),[15] along with another New Horizon's instrument Alice.[16]

LEISA's acronym was retitled from Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array to Lisa Hardaway Infrared Mapping Spectrometer by NASA in June 2017, after Ralph's program manager.[17]

Methane observations

An example of Ralph's abilities is shown by this detection of methane on the surface of Pluto, overlayed on an image from a camera instrument:

Ralph methane detections overlayed onto a LORRI image of dwarf planet Pluto

Specifications

Specs:[18]

  • Mass— 10.5 kg (23.1 pounds)
  • Max power use— 7.1 watts
  • Telescope design
  • Aperture 75 mm [19]
  • Electronic control boards[21]
    • Detector electronics (DE)
    • Command and data handling (C&DH)
    • Low voltage power supply (LVPS).


The one telescope feeds light to both LEISA and MVIC channels, with light split by a dichroic beamsplitter.[22][23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Talbert, Tricia (2015-03-25). "Spacecraft and Instruments". NASA. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  2. ↑ Talbert, Tricia (2015-03-25). "Spacecraft and Instruments". NASA. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Weaver, et al - Overview of the New Horizons Science Payload
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ "Pluto | New Horizons | Exploring the Planets | National Air and Space Museum". airandspace.si.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  7. ↑ "New Horizons' Dramatic Journey to Pluto Revealed in New Book". Space.com. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  8. ↑ "Meet Ralph, the New Horizons Camera Bringing Pluto into Sharp Focus - SpaceNews.com". SpaceNews.com. 2015-07-11. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  9. ↑ "New Horizons begins Pluto observations ahead of July flyby – NASASpaceFlight.com". www.nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  10. ↑ "NASA - Jupiter Ahoy!". www.nasa.gov. George Diller : KSC. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  11. ↑ "NASA - A Look From LEISA". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  12. ↑ "NASA - A Look From LEISA". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  13. ↑
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ "The Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Honeymooners, The". www.museum.tv. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  16. ↑ Gipson, Lillian (2017-06-23). "NASA's New Horizons Mission Honors Memory of Engineer Lisa Hardaway". NASA. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  17. ↑ Gipson, Lillian, ed. (June 23, 2017). "NASA's New Horizons Mission Honors Memory of Engineer Lisa Hardaway". NASA. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  18. ↑
  19. ↑
  20. ↑
  21. ↑
  22. ↑
  23. ↑
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