NASA's New Horizons space probe performs first close planetary flyby of Pluto

Friday, July 17, 2015 

On Tuesday, NASA's space probe New Horizons reached near Pluto. It was launched about nine-and-a-half years ago on January 19, 2006 to collect data about the dwarf planet, amongst other targets. With its flyby on Tuesday it became the first spacecraft to explore Pluto closely.

NASA collected data regarding the geology of the planet. The space probe had seven scientific instruments and massed about 450 kilograms (about 1000 lb). The probe has Pluto and the Kuiper Belt as its highest priorities. Scientists released images from the flyby on Wednesday. Mission scientist John Spencer said, "We have not found a single impact crater on this image. This means it must be a very young surface". He put the age of the current surface at no more than 100 million years.

The images also did not show craters on its natural satellite, Charon. NASA said mountains on the planet may be made of water-ice.

In February 2007 the space probe flew by Jupiter. The future mission is to explore the Kuiper Belt.

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  New Horizons.
  Image: NASA.
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  Image of Pluto and its natural satellite Charon by New Horizons on July 11, 2015.
  Image: NASA.
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  New Horizons at the Kennedy Space Center in 2005.
  Image: NASA.
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  Antenna of New Horizons.
  Image: NASA.

The Atlas V 551 rocket, used to launch New Horizons, being processed a month before launch.
Image: NASA.

View of Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 41, with the Atlas V carrying New Horizons on the pad.
Image: NASA.

NASA TV footage of New Horizons launch from Cape Canaveral. (4:00)
Video: NASA.

A composite image of Jupiter and Io, taken by New Horizons on February 28 and March 1, 2007 respectively. Jupiter is shown in infrared, whereas Io is shown in near true-color.
Image: NASA.

A composite false-color image of Oval BA, otherwise known as the "Little Red Spot", using New Horizons LORRI and the Hubble Space Telescope's WFPC2.
Image: NASA.

2015: Pluto image (color) by New Horizons from 18 million km away, late last month.
Image: NASA.

Pluto as viewed by New Horizons, July 13, 2015.
Image: NASA.

Icy landscape on Pluto.
Image: NASA.

Related news

• "New Horizons probe bound for Pluto on nine year journey" — Wikinews, January 19, 2006

Sources

• "Solar System Exploration" — NASA, July 16, 2015 (date of access)
• Paul Rincon. "New Horizons: Images reveal ice mountains on Pluto" — BBC News Online, July 15, 2015
• "NASA'S Pluto Space Probe Begins Launch Preparations" — Spacedaily, September 27, 2015