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Pluto Probe Launches

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ground-control-to-major-tom dept.

Artem S. Tashkinov writes "The US space agency, Nasa, has successfully launched its New Horizons mission to Pluto. The $700m probe will gather information on Pluto and its moons before - it is hoped - pressing on to explore other objects in the outer Solar System. Pluto is the only remaining planet that has never been visited by a spacecraft."

2 of 312 comments (clear)

  1. Fastest too.. by kurth · · Score: 5, Interesting

    From this CNN article, and my buddy Pete at JHAPL, "The New Horizons spacecraft will be the fastest ever launched, more than 10 times faster than a speeding bullet.". That is faster then superman.

  2. Kinda Slow by borisborf · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You have to wonder why, with such a long journey, they didn't try out an ion engine. Sure, it would have cost more, but it would have been able to get there a lot faster. The ion engine has a much higher specific impulse than conventional rockets but are only effective over long range where the engines can be fired continuously. What longer range than Pluto? Plus, include a larger Plutonium core and run several of these.

    Sure, it is the fastest probe to escape from the earth, but why not strap on an extra stage and get that baby really cookin!