Illustration of New Horizons flying by Ultima Thule

Space Missions

Planning the New Horizons Exploration of Ultima Thule

Alan Stern, principal investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission, gives a detailed preview of what the spacecraft will be doing in the days up to, during, and after the impending flyby of the Kuiper Belt Object 2014 MU69.

Illustration of New Horizons flying past 2014 MU69

Space Missions

New Horizons On Approach to the First Exploration of a Kuiper Belt Object

Take a look behind the scenes as the New Horizons team gears up for the historic first flyby of a body in the remote Kuiper Belt, in this first of a four-part series from the mission's Principal Investigator Alan Stern.

Image of BepiColumbo launch

Space Missions

Mission to Mercury Launches

The BepiColombo spacecraft, Europe's first mission to Mercury, rocketed away from Earth to begin its seven-year trek to the innermost planet.