New Horizons' First Close Look at Pluto

Five, four, three, two, one!

(crowd cheering)

[Narrator] On July 14th, 2015,

after nearly a decade since launching,

the space probe New Horizons finally passed by Pluto,

thrilling scientists and dreamers alike.

New Horizons' instruments are mapping and measuring

the dwarf planet three billion miles away from Earth.

New Horizons has already begun the slow process

of sending back the clearest images of Pluto

we've ever seen.

The little probe is also imaging Pluto's moons,

including Charon.

New Horizons will shoot the hazard-strewn gap

around Pluto and Charon, its eyes probing the system.

If all goes according to plan, around 4:30pm eastern time,

the probe will turn toward Earth,

and start sending that data home.

Then we'll finally know for sure that New Horizons

has made it through its most dangerous moment.

It will take a year and a half

to download the rest of the information,

which should illuminate

the last of our solar system's mysteries,

including one unknown body

even further out in the Kuiper belt.

Maybe that icy rock will someday be as beloved

as our dear Pluto, but don't bet on it.

(mid-tempo string instrumental)