Spacecraft Bound for Pluto Set to Awake Nine Years After Launch

KABC ^

[BenLurkin]

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is set to awake on Dec. 6 from the last of its 18 hibernation periods and prepare for its initial approach towards Pluto, which will take place on Jan. 15.

The spacecraft is scheduled to come as close as 6,200 miles from the surface of Pluto on July 14, 2015 -- the closest any man-made object has come to the dwarf planet.

[cripplecreek]

This is the one I’ve been waiting for.

Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?

[txnativegop]

Is it supposed to look just at Pluto or both it and Charon?

[driftdiver]

I didn’t know muslims lived on Pluto.

[Azeem]

Crash it into Pluto and we can call it a success.

[dfwgator]

Was Pluto still a “planet” when it launched?

[cripplecreek]

Its going to be a high speed pass but they’ll have lots of time to check out the whole system. I believe there are now 5 moons and possible rings.

[DanielRedfoot]

Hopefully when in orbit, it can zoom in so we can see the American flag on the surface.

…o wait, thats Mars

[Ken522]

Windows XP was the champ in operating systems when this thing was launched ... wonder if it has an XP kernel in it’s software?

[cripplecreek]

I think Planned Planethood got Pluto shortly after launch.

[taxcontrol]

I was born in ‘64

In my lifetime, man has walked in space, walked on the moon, and sent probes and/or satellites to just about every planet. If you consider the voyager program, we have even sent probes outside of our solar system.

It is unlikely that I will live long enough to see regular travels to the planets or interstellar travel. However, it is exciting times none the less.

[MUDDOG]

Once awakened on Dec. 6, New Horizons will transmit radio signals

Hello Dave.

[Politicalkiddo]

I just watched a documentary a few days ago. They are looking at Pluto and Charon, Pluto’s other moons, and a few other Kuiper belt objects beyond.

[Politicalkiddo]

Yes.

[Politicalkiddo]

I’ve been waiting! I’m so excited!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Far out !

[deoetdoctrinae]

So far, the only dog that has been seen out there was, surprisingly, not Pluto.

[bicyclerepair]

Dave’s not here.

[JRandomFreeper]

When you and I were born, the B-52 was flying. When we die, and they bury us, it's very likely that a B-52 will be taking off somewhere that day.

But yep, When I was a kid, there were the chicks at the reference desk. Today, we have Google.

/johnny

[Cvengr]

You did calculate that in yards and not meters, didn’t you?