New Horizons visited Pluto 10 years ago. We’re still learning from it
SMRTR summary
A spunky spacecraft that set out to explore Pluto in 2006 is still going strong, 9 billion kilometers from Earth. The New Horizons probe has revolutionized our understanding of the distant dwarf planet, revealing a world far more dynamic than scientists expected.
"We have basically rewritten the textbooks," says Kelsi Singer, deputy principal investigator for the mission.
New Horizons unveiled Pluto's heart-shaped region, including a massive nitrogen glacier that hints at a possible subsurface ocean. The probe also discovered ice volcanoes and a layered atmosphere, challenging previous assumptions about the icy world's geology and climate.
As the spacecraft heads towards interstellar space, it continues to collect valuable data. However, its future is uncertain due to proposed NASA budget cuts. Scientists argue that shutting down such missions would be a significant loss for research and training opportunities.
"These missions are 20-year endeavors," notes planetary scientist Fran Bagenal. "If you turn them off... you can't get them back."
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Science News.
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