News from Pluto!

The New Horizons spacecraft has reached pluto and is sending back data! Here are some articles that highlight some of the more interesting photos to be released as of today (7/15/2015):

NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-spacecraft-displays-pluto-s-big-heart-0
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/

Missions Operator Manager (MOM): http://www.themarysue.com/alice-bowman-new-horizons/

Neil Degrasse Tyson and Stephen Colbert: http://www.themarysue.com/colbert-pluto-neil-degrasse-tyson/

Bad Astronomer: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/07/15/pluto_and_charon_the_first_close_up_images.html

This is pretty exciting news as this is the farthest object from earth that we have examined this closely! So kudos to the space mission! Great job!

Remember, a lot of the cool devices and technology we have today comes from the space program — due to the difficulties of space in keeping instruments working and keeping humans safe, NASA and its affiliates have to constantly engineer creative solutions to problems and invent new and better devices, shielding, and new materials. NASA is also at a critical low for funding, which is incredibly sad and troublesome as that lack of funding makes it harder to innovate and produce better and more robust materials, engineering solutions, and devices to better humanity everywhere. Future space exploration can not only help us better understand the worlds within our own space neighborhood, but also help us better understand ourselves and create better and more robust ideas and devices and materials for our future.

In closing, enjoy this montage of images that show Pluto over the years.