Pluto close-up: Spacecraft makes flyby of icy, mystery world

At least some are still doing solar system space exploration - it's a sign of ongoing vibrant culture and education for human society

Fantastic achievement. I wish I was on that space probe for a few hours.

3 billion miles through a pocket about 100 x 100 km at that moment at that speed... just brilliant.

These missions benefit every living person on the planet earth. They advance the human race's knowledge and understanding of our solar system, galaxy, and universe. They move us forward, helping us to continue advancing and improving and grow as rational sentient beings. Let's all shout together now, in a squeaky voice - "Hi ya, Pluto!!!"

I am so glad that this has happened and it shows that even though we have our problems, we humans can still achieve a lot if we try.

$720 million mission

I saw on another board people were complaining about the costs of these types of missions, and how organizations like NASA and other research projects are wasting the taxpayers money, that could be better spent on the "poor." I say "poppy cock" to that. We spend far more on the poor and needy per year than the $720 million for 10 years that has given us valuable information on how the solar system is formed and what we can do to advance our species. I say that we need more projects like this to further science.

Is that a heart? Is Pluto showing the love?

Is that a heart? Is Pluto showing the love?

Earlier reports had indicated that it was a near heart shaped formation. I find the solar system/space so fascinating. The things we think that are unique only to earth in form somehow we wind up finding when we head deeper into space.

We spend far more on the poor and needy per year than the $720 million for 10 years that has given us valuable information on how the solar system is formed and what we can do to advance our species.

Was gonna give you a thumbs up until this. In truth, humans are quite capable of doing both - if we'd stop tossing money down the toilet on military spending.

Was gonna give you a thumbs up until this. In truth, humans are quite capable of doing both - if we'd stop tossing money down the toilet on military spending.

But that's the point Alphaape was making... that with this project it IS doing both.

Pluto is a dwarf planet, because otherwise Eris would be a planet too.

Rodney Gomes' calculations has shown that there is still unknown real planet on the the kuiper belt. We can't see it, but its gravity affects the other bodies.

I think its a nice touch that the ashes of Clyde Tombaugh (the person who discovered Pluto in the 1930's) was aboard the spacecraft sent to Pluto.

And Pluto does look like it has a heart on it. Awww.