What flying object is more than ten times faster than a speeding bullet? No, it’s not a plane or a bird---not even Superman---but something called “New Horizon”. Just days after the historic return of comet-chaser Stardust from space, NASA had successfully launched this probe that is aimed towards the edge of the solar system, into Pluto and the its near environment which is believed to be part of the mysterious Kuiper Belt ( a region mostly composed of ice and rocky bodies). It is believed that Pluto is still a part of the Kuiper Belt and by studying its environment through this probe, scientists may enable themselves to examine in detail elements that are highly believed to be debris from the formation of planets billions of years ago---like fossil bones in space. Eventually, the research into this region would give scientists more hints and clues as to the formation of the solar system and how planets came to be.
If “New Horizon” fulfills its mission in ten years time, it would complete NASA’s exploration of all nine planets in the solar system, an ambitious project that had started in the early years of the 80’s.
Like Stardust, New Horizon is a technological marvel. The size of a baby grand piano, the probe to Pluto can reach the maximum speed of 47,000 miles per hour. It reached the moon only in 9 hours while it took Apollo 11 all of 3 days. It is powered by 33 kilograms of plutonium and will travel more than 3 Billion miles in a period of ten years.
I guess we'll all have to wait 10 years before we can see the result...:D
Looks like NASA is on a roll.
Comment by snglguy — January 20, 2006 @ 8:14 am
Clearly, on a project binge. This time, the cost of the project is about 700 million dollars. Only NASA have that kind of fat wallet.
Comment by Major Tom — January 20, 2006 @ 8:18 am
I just caught the tail end of a CNN report on it this morning! This is really exciting!
Comment by erisac — January 20, 2006 @ 8:56 am
yup, space agencies of other countries can only dream of having the kind of budget NASA has. But then its probably because the agency is also partly military, with most of the technology developed there going straight to the US armed forces.
Curiously, a lot of geeks in NASA aren't even American but of other nationalities recruited from abroad. One such recruit was Werhner Von Braun, the German designer of the V2 rocket. He was resposible for the development of the Saturn rocket that carried the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Comment by snglguy — January 20, 2006 @ 11:35 am
Good science post. Hope it generates more curious interest.
But as I recall Project Mars garnered more press than this one.
But who knows, after 9 years.
Comment by Amadeo — January 20, 2006 @ 8:01 pm
i was awed by this news. this makes me feel the wonder of God even more.
Comment by bing — January 21, 2006 @ 9:00 am
Reading about science always fascinates me...good you post all about this things.Ten years is not that long...but near result is more good.
Comment by kathy — January 22, 2006 @ 11:35 pm
Space exploration I think has gotten on to newer heights or towards the next level as technology gets better and better while funding becomes more and more available. I just can't help thinking that perhaps a hundred years from now, space technology could be far more advanced and space exploration could be far more effective and fruitful.
Comment by Major Tom — January 23, 2006 @ 7:03 am
wow! more mysteries in the universe will be unveiled if this be successful.
Comment by Teacher Sol — January 24, 2006 @ 12:47 pm
american optimism,russian pessimism.
earthly irony.
da,while uncle sam's skimming into space,some other earthlings had already been seeing rainbows in the dark of night.or worse,they've already been seeing ETs,because of hunger.
...but a 9-10-year waiting isn't really that long than we expect it.
Comment by zigmund — January 27, 2006 @ 6:29 am