New Horizons SDC Pluto Cruise: Calibrated Dust Measurements V2.0

Version 2.0 of calibrated data from the New Horizons Student Dust Counter instrument during the Pluto cruise mission phase. The dataset includes science data from hibernation periods, Annual Checkouts, and scheduled STIM and Noise calibrations, with updates from newer SPICE kernels and review resolutions. Observations added in this version cover the cruise period from August 2014 through January 2015.

Use Cases

• Modeling interplanetary dust density based on calibrated event counts during cruise phases
• Analyzing instrument calibration trends using scheduled STIM and Noise calibration data
• Studying spacecraft activity effects on science data during Annual Checkout periods
• Validating dust flux models for the outer solar system based on long-term hibernation data

Strengths

• Version 2.0 includes updated geometry from newer SPICE kernels and resolved liens from 2014 and 2016 reviews
• Contains data from multiple mission operation modes: hibernation, Annual Checkouts, and scheduled calibrations
• Adds ongoing cruise observations from August 2014 through January 2015

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Some data files have identical start/stop times and zero exposure time for single-event records

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected by the New Horizons Student Dust Counter instrument during the Pluto cruise mission phase.

Time Range

Includes data from hibernation years following the Jupiter encounter, with added observations from August 2014 through January 2015.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:15:37.485036; freshness should be verified

Geography

Interplanetary space during the New Horizons spacecraft cruise to Pluto.