NASA Spacecraft New Horizon Messages Home, Confirming Successful First Flyby of Pluto [View all]
Source: AP
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — It's official: NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has gotten humanity's first up-close look at Pluto,
The spacecraft sent word of its triumph Tuesday across 3 billion miles to scientists waiting breathlessly back home.
Confirmation of mission success came 13 hours after the actual flyby.
Early indications had been encouraging, and a cheering, flag-waving celebration swept over the mission operations center in Maryland at the time of closest approach Tuesday morning. But until New Horizons phoned home Tuesday night, there was no guarantee the spacecraft had buzzed the little, icy world.
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/750ae529c6fa4e188e3c29b6f66f7012/ready-its-close-first-spacecraft-explore-pluto
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