(Spaceref.com) The countdown is proceeding toward today's launch of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle. Today's forecast for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida calls for an 80% chance of favorable weather, and no technical issues with the rocket or spacecraft are in work at this time.
Although traveling towards the edge of our solar system, Pluto is not the only Kuiper belt object floating beyond Neptune. Other objects have been discovered as well (such as Xena), although the New Horizon's probe probably will not be visiting those worlds.
Unrelated: Here is a short story that this author has written that may interest Pluto lovers everywhere.
(Icy Worlds) Zureeka was so excited. It was as if all the stars were aligned in her favor tonight. Or rather this morning. It was so hard to tell, since it was already late and it was well past her bed time.
The other girls had fallen fast asleep, but Zureeka could not because of the anticipation that the day would bring. She checked her alarm for the third time, making sure it would awaken her in three hours, then went off dreaming dreams of sunshine and laughter, of dancing high above frozen plains in the dim sunlight.
Continue Reading if you dare.
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You can either visit the stars or watch them from afar.
But if you choose the former, you'll definitely get a better view.
~Darnell Clayton, 2007
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