Pluto Flyby Has Occurred
Message from NASA Administrator: Reaching Pluto With New Horizons
“Today, our nation is poised to reach a new milestone in exploration and discovery. More than 50 years after our first flyby of another planet, and five years after President Obama challenged America’s space program to extend humanity’s reach in space while strengthening America’s leadership here on Earth, the New Horizons spacecraft will reach Pluto, providing the closest view humanity has ever seen of the dwarf planet.”
Three-Billion-Mile Journey to Pluto
“Because New Horizons is the fastest spacecraft ever launched hurtling through the Pluto system at more than 30,000 mph, a collision with a particle as small as a grain of rice could incapacitate the spacecraft. Once it reestablishes contact Tuesday night, it will take 16 months for New Horizons to send its cache of data 10 years’ worth — back to Earth.”
They told a Pluto joke on NASA TV and 8-hours later somebody laughed.
…and five years after President Obama challenged America’s space program to extend humanity’s reach…”
Someone please inform the Administrator that New Horizons has been flying for over 9 years. Obama had nothing to do with it.
They will probably wait another 9 year for the film to come back so they can see the pictures.
And which differed from his predecessor’s Vision for Space Exploration in what way (other than replacing most of what progress had been made with even more chaotic and confused implementation policy and mediocre support)??
The narcisim of politicians in moments of glory can be quite disgusting.
Thanks, Obama! ™