Aired
July 15, 2015
On July 14, 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft, one of the most advanced ever built, is scheduled to fly by Pluto to take the very first detailed images of the dwarf planet. After nine years and 3 billion miles, we will finally get a close look at this strange, icy world, but only if the craft can survive the final, treacherous leg of its journey, which could take it through a dangerous field of debris. If it does, New Horizons is poised to make dramatic new discoveries, not just about Pluto, but about the vast realm of icy bodies lurking beyond Neptune, relics of the earliest days of the solar system’s formation. Back on Earth, the planetary scientists who have spent decades working on this mission anxiously await a signal from their spacecraft. Our cameras will be there to witness the moment. If all goes well, we’ll see Pluto’s mysterious surface in unprecedented detail and learn new secrets about other alien worlds at the far limits of our solar system.
Episode 21 of Season 42 from NOVA — available to stream in HD on any device.
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Recommended
Mike Brewer: Born Dealer
1000 Ways to Dine
The Deep End
Secret Weapons of World War II
America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys
Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror
The Proof Is Out There: UnXplained Edition
The Home Team: New York Jets
Paranormal Witness
Magic City: An American Fantasy
Search for movies, TV shows, collections, manga, or people
Trending Now