NASA's New Horizons spacecraft approaches Pluto

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An unmanned NASA spacecraft whizzed by Pluto on Tuesday, making its closest approach in the climax of a decade-long journey to explore the dwarf planet for the first time, the US space agency said.

Moving faster than any spacecraft ever built -- at a speed of about 30,800 miles per hour (49,570 kph) -- the flyby happened at 7:49 am (1149 GMT), with the probe running on auto-pilot. It was to pass by Pluto at a distance of 7,767 miles (12,500 kilometers).

"The New Horizons spacecraft passes its closest approach mark at Pluto after a three-billion-mile journey," a NASA commentator said as spectators waved flags in a crowded room at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Center outside the US capital, Washington.

 

This indeed is a very remarkable time as History has been made. Pluto as we all know is considered a dwarf planet in the kuiper belt. I recall Pluto once being the smallest planet when I was growing up, but today it is being queried as many other discoveries of dwarf planets such as Eris, which was discovered in 2005, has overthrown Pluto in the dwarf planet arena. However, NASA has proven that their technology has indeed been increased and who knows what they will be able to achieve next.