NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft Just Woke Up From a Long Nap Ahead of Exploring Beyond Pluto - CNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. New Horizons takes frequent naps to conserve resources as it explores the outer solar system. New Horizons is the first spacecraft to explore Pluto up close, a feat it accomplished in 2015. It takes a long time to reach anything at the edge of our solar system, and sometimes even spacecraft need to take a nap on a long journey. NASA’s New Horizons did just that, and the agency says the spacecraft woke itself up on schedule after a 321-day sleep, the longest nap it’s ever taken. Flight controllers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory put the spacecraft to sleep on Aug. 7, 2025, with the world’s longest sleep timer. New Horizons woke itself up using its onboard commands on June 23. NASA reports that the spacecraft survived its long sleep without any issues and is “healthy.” “Every status report through this hibernation period was ‘green,’ meaning all was well aboard New Horizons each and ever