Abstract
Following its landmark exploration of the Pluto system, the NASA New Horizons mission is continuing outward to explore the Kuiper belt (KB). That exploration includes measurements of the KB plasma and dust environment, remote sensing observations of over two dozen small Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) and dwarf planets (DPs), and the close flyby and inspection of KBO (486958) 2014 MU69—a cold classical KBO on January 1, 2019. Here, we review the mission’s objectives and capabilities for KB exploration, discuss early KB observation results, and detail the goals and objectives of the flyby of 2014 MU69. We also discuss prospects for further KB exploration by New Horizons at still greater distances after its initial extended mission concludes in 2021 at a heliocentric range of 50 Astronomical Units (AU).
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