After two delays and controversy over the plutonium shipped along with the probe, New Horizons lifted off today on the first leg of its ten-year trip to Pluto, Charon (pronounced SHAHR-ON I found out this morning, not KARE-on, as I’d pronounced it), and the two smaller moons recently discovered.
Nine hours from the Earth to the Moon. A year to Jupiter. This thing is moving.
I remember following Cassini’s launch with my daughter. By the time it arrived at Saturn seven years later, she had lost interest but I continued to be amazed.
I can’t get my mind around it; sending a tiny bit of ourselves unimaginable distances and finding amazing things. The two Mars rovers, Cassini… when we humans build things, they STAY built.
Sure, it would be interesting to see humans GO to these places, and I imagine someday we will.
Now playing: Brain Damage by Austin Lounge Lizards. Yes, Pink Floyd Bluegrass…
