New Horizons spacecraft
New Horizons is a NASA spacecraft launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, carrying scientific instruments and powered by a radioisotope generator.
Also known as: New Horizons probe, Pluto probe
How big is it?
2.2 m · spacecraft body height
Spacecraft body height · approximate
Typical recorded range: 2 m to 2.4 m.
A little perspective
New Horizons spacecraft vs Table tennis table: length comparison
The length of a table tennis table is about 1.25 times the spacecraft body height of the New Horizons spacecraft.
New Horizons is a NASA spacecraft launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, carrying scientific instruments and powered by a radioisotope generator.
A table tennis table is a flat, rectangular surface divided by a net for playing the game of table tennis.
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions. Horizontal rulers compare the selected spans; vertical brackets also identify height on the artwork.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
New Horizons spacecraft
Spacecraft body height: 2.2 m; approximate; range 2 m–2.4 m.
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft body is approximately 2.2 m high and had a launch mass of 478 kg. The radioisotope-generator and antenna projections extend beyond the calibrated body-height span.
Johns Hopkins APL — New Horizons spacecraft
The marked spacecraft body height is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Table tennis table
Length: 2.74 m; standard.
2.74 × 1.525 m playing surface. Excludes surrounding space.
WA Government — table tennis dimensions
The marked length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 2.2 m
We compare the spacecraft body height of the New Horizons spacecraft. This is an estimate; check the notes for its rounding and uncertainty. The recorded range is 2 m to 2.4 m.
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft body is approximately 2.2 m high and had a launch mass of 478 kg. The radioisotope-generator and antenna projections extend beyond the calibrated body-height span.
The marked vertical span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 m | 2 m to 2.4 m | approximate | |
| 478 kg | Not recorded | approximate |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valuePlanets, moons and spaceExplorer 12.03 mOverall spacecraft lengthExplorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States, carrying scientific instruments to study Earth's radiation environment.
Around the same scaleVehicles and transportCargo tricycle2.2 mDefined overall lengthA cargo tricycle is a three-wheeled cycle designed to carry goods, often with a large front or rear cargo box.
Nearest higher valuePlanets, moons and spaceParker Solar Probe3 mOverall spacecraft heightThe Parker Solar Probe is a NASA spacecraft launched to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere at close range.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- Johns Hopkins APL — New Horizons spacecraftOfficial mission spacecraft configuration and launch mass.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
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