NASA just flew the New Horizons spacecraft by Pluto. PLUTO.
We’re going to have HELLA pictures of Pluto very soon.P. L. U. T. O.Even more HELLA than the “teaser” picture right before the flyby:
LOOK AT THAT ADORABLE MOTHERFUCKER WITH A HEART ON IT AND EVERYTHING.
You know where that picture was taken from? 476,000 MILES AWAY (766,048 KILOMETERS) You know what the closest approach distance was for New Horizons? 7,800 MILES (12,600 KILOMETERS) FROM THE SURFACE OF PLUTO.
That’s right. That means YOU AINT EVEN SEEN SHIT YET, SON.
It took us over 9 years to get to our solar system buddy 31.9 AU away.
Do you know how far away an AU is? 93 MILLION GODDAMN MILES or 149.6 MILLION HOLY SHIT KILOMETERS. Multiplied by over 30. With a (dwarf) planet flying around in some CATAWAMPAS ASS orbit.
WE JUST HIT A DAMN NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK AS LARGE AS THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
Because of this distance, the New Horizons spacecraft will take 16 MONTHS to transfer all the data from the encounter back to Earth.
In conclusion:
GUESS WHAT KIDS
As IF New Horizons wasn’t cool enough, WE JUST RECEIVED WORD FROM THE SPACECRAFT that it is A-OKAY.
That means that the spacecraft sent us a message to say HEY EARTH SUP I PASSED PLUTO AND IT WAS AWESOME. And then that message traveled FOUR AND HALF HOURS through the vastness of our solar system to get to us. THAT ALL HAPPENED TODAY.
And the best part? New Horizons called home to the Mission Operations Manager. THAT’S RIGHT. It called home to MOM.
I see you NASA, you clever motherfuckers.
THE EXCITEMENT ISN’T OVER YET. Images come tomorrow!!!
STAY TUNED. SCIENCE ON.
Bonus: Swagtastic New Horizons Team
4 FOR YOU NEW HORIZONS. YOU GO, NEW HORIZONS.
PICS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, NEWS HORIZONS.
Well, let me tell you, New Horizons delivered.
CHECK IT.
One of Pluto’s Moons: CHARON.
And the BIG BADDY ITSELF:
I’m sorry, I can’t hear you over Pluto’s ICE MOUNTAINS, that may potentially be ICE VOLCANOS.
CRYOVOLCANOS.
NASA’s got even MORE shit to figure out because it looks like Pluto’s surface doesn’t have many CRATERS, which means it may be a lot younger.
YOUNGER? Okay great, what does that mean?
It means something’s active. Volcanism, migrating ice, latent heat from a possible INTERNAL OCEAN?!
Only time will tell…
Alright that’s all I got. Can’t wait to see what new things Pluto will tell us!!
Just think, you were tuned in when humanity explored a new world for the first time.
DOES ANYONE ELSE KNOW OR CARE THAT IN 2006 WE SENT OUT A THE FASTEST SPACESHIP EVER BUILT AND AT 5:45 THIS MORNING WE GOT THE CLEAREST. CLOSEST VIEW OF PLUTO THAT WE HAVE EVER SEEN. OH MY FREAKING GOD THIS IS SO COOL OH MY GODDDDDDDDDD
HE GRABS THE CUP BUT THEN HE DROPS THE PEN 0.0003 SECONDS LATER
AND HE LOOKS UP AT THE CEILING INSTEAD OF AT THE GROUND WHEN HE CAN’T FIND THEM
I CAN’T STOP LAUGHING HE JUST DROPS IT
IT’S NOT FUNNY IT’S VERY LOGICAL THAT HE WOULD HAVE ADJUSTED TO LIVING LIFE WHILE HE WAS IN SPACE BECAUSE IT’S DIFFERENT FROM EARTH BUT I CAN’T FUCKING BREATHE
*THUNK*
YES IT’S BACK ON MY DASH THIS IS MY FAVORITE VIDEO
I could watch this video for hours and it would still be funny
Former ISS Commander/Colonel/Astronaut Chris Hadfield talks about the orbital perspective, spiders, riding a meteorite to Earth, and the experience of becoming visually impaired during his first EVA. For anyone who hasn’t yet explored his book aptly titled “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth” or the gorgeous photographic display of planetary awe displayed in “You Are Here”, these two works of literary art – along with this TED Talk – are highly recommended and to be shared with everyone.
A gigantic government vehicle of a space program may not be the most effective route to launch our economy and our spacefaring ambitions. However, we must keep in mind that the private space entrepreneurs paving the way for more effective, continuous, and accessible means to and beyond Low Earth Orbit will enable more human beings to achieve the Overview Effect we so desperately require as we move forward into tomorrow.
Whether it’s NASA, CSA, JAXA, ESA, or the leaders of the NewSpace movement, our longevity as a species and subsequently, our segue out into the solar system and beyond will be greatly pronounced and conceptualized from those who have seen our planet from “the outside” to communicate their experiences, emboldening each of us to embrace our stewardship to the planet and all members of its crew.
Until we are all capable of escaping our terrestrial worldview and casually observing our world along with others known and unknown, we must continue to #FightforSpace.
