NAVIGATION STRATEGY AND RESULTS FOR NEW HORIZONS' APPROACH AND FLYBY OF THE PLUTO SYSTEM

The New Horizons mission, the first mission in NASA's New Frontiers Program, is also the first mission with primary science objectives to explore the Pluto/Charon system. After launch in January 2006 and an interplanetary cruise of more than 9.5 years, New Horizons has completed the approach and flyby of Pluto. This paper presents an overview of the analysis and operational constraints that led to the navigation strategy used. Also presented are operational results for that strategy during this final phase of the prime mission.