NASA's mission to Pluto, New Horizons, is alive and well. In January 2015 the hardy spacecraft will start encounter operations with a July 14, 2015 flyby of Pluto that will provide a relatively close up look of the distant world and its moons. New Horizons will do a flyby as it cannot slow down and enter orbit since it does not have the fuel to do so and traveling at 30,000 mph would take a lot of fuel and a big engine to accomplish. The spacecraft will take on new targets once its primary mission at Pluto is over.
![Image: An artist's concept shows NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its 2015 encounter with Pluto and its moon, Charon. Image: Image: An artist's concept shows NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its 2015 encounter with Pluto and its moon, Charon.](http://www.swri.org/press/2012/images/Encounter_01sm.jpg)
There are some possible hazards in the vicinity of Pluto that has mission managers worried - Read More About It and the mission here: http://www.swri.org/9what/releases/2012/newhorizons-pluto.htm
Sky Guy in VA
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