Daily cosmobite: Pluto mission anniversary

Published by Nick Lomb on January 19, 2013 2 Comments

The New Horizons spacecraft was launched on this day (American time) in 2006 towards the then major planet Pluto. To the disappointment of some of the scientists involved with the mission, later that year the International Astronomical Union demoted the planet to dwarf status.

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2 Responses to “Daily cosmobite: Pluto mission anniversary”

January 20, 2013 at 5:37 pm, Nick Lomb said:

Hi Wayne. Thanks for your comment and I fully agree that New Horizons is a worthwhile and exciting mission. Only 2.5 years to go before we get our first glimpse of Pluto!

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January 19, 2013 at 8:58 am, Wayne Gagel said:

No matter what we call Pluto, the mere fact we know so little about it makes this mission worthwhile. Whether it’s a dwarf planet, proto-planet or should have full planetary status is a question that can only be answered by taking a look at it. Either way I’m sure it has things to teach us, possibly about the origins of other planets in our own or other solar systems.

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