Trending

On This Day in Space! Jan. 19, 2006: New Horizons launches to Pluto!

By

 On Jan. 19, 2006, NASA launched a spacecraft to Pluto!

New Horizons is a spacecraft about the size of a grand piano, and it became the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto. It launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on an Atlas V rocket and was the fastest spacecraft ever launched. 

The trip to Pluto took nine years, and it was worth the wait. New Horizons took the first close-up pictures of Pluto, and for the first time, the world saw that Pluto has an enormous heart. It also saw huge, steep mountains and icy volcanoes. After the flyby, New Horizons set sail for a distant icy rock called 2014 MU69, and flew by that target on Jan. 1, 2019. That Kuiper Belt object has since been named Arrokoth.

Catch up on our entire "On This Day In Space" series on YouTube with this playlist.

OFFER: Save 45% on 'All About Space' 'How it Works' and 'All About History'!

For a limited time, you can take out a digital subscription to any of our best-selling science magazines for just $2.38 per month, or 45% off the standard price for the first three months.View Deal

On This Day in Space Archive!

Still not enough space? Don't forget to check out our Space Image of the Day, and on the weekends our Best Space Photos and Top Space News Stories of the week. 

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • The Exoplanets Channel 13 December 2019 17:13
    Very interesting
    Reply
  • Arc Light 17 July 2020 14:59
    Just so you know, the X-15 took off from Edwards AFB under the wing of a B-52 & was airdropped over Delamar Dry Lake, Nevada. The flight to the altitude record wasn't planned, but the rocket engine burned for two seconds longer than expected. The test flight was scheduled to peak at 280,000', but actually reached 314, 750' due to the extra rocket burn time.
    Reply
  • Fourth Root 18 July 2020 00:34
    Misleading wording. Bob White did not set the world altitude record on July 17th, 1962. Four Astronauts and two cosmonauts had flown higher prior to his flight. One could say it was the highest manned flight of a winged craft. But that's not the wording that was used.
    Reply
  • DrRaviSharma 20 July 2020 13:16
    On this date in 1969, I was part of NASA Apollo Team

    Contributed to Experiments in orbit and on Surface of Moon (ALSEP) etc.also trained astronauts

    Studied containation on and ouside Spacecraft.

    The Moon gave me employment to work for 5 Years on exciting Human Space flight Programs Skylab, Planning of Space Station and Space Shuttle

    See My picture taken with Buzz Aldrin in 2009
    https://www.space.com/india-moon-landing-not-a-failure.html
    I received Apollo Achievement Award from NASA dated July 20, 1969.

    Thanks Hanneke Weitering for today's Historic post

    Ravi
    Dr. Ravi Sharma
    Reply