New Horizons flew past Pluto so quickly that an encounter nine years in the making was effectively over within hours — but the data gathered during that brief passage took another 15 months to trickle home
NASA's New Horizons mission is being highlighted for its high-speed encounter with Pluto following a nine-year journey.
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The brief
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft reached Pluto after traveling 3 billion miles over a period of nine to nine-and-a-half years. Traveling at approximately 32,000 miles per hour, the probe had less than 30 minutes to photograph the dwarf planet during its close approach.
Coverage from Space Daily, The Times of India, upi.com, and Yahoo emphasizes the disparity between the brief encounter and the time required to transmit findings. While the flyby lasted only hours, the gathered data took 15 months to be sent back to Earth.
Reports focus on the anniversary of the mission's closest look at Pluto, noting the speed and distance involved in the encounter.
Synthesized by Archynetys from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 26m ago.
Quick answers
How fast was New Horizons traveling during the Pluto flyby?
The spacecraft was traveling at roughly 32,000 miles per hour.
How long did the journey from Earth to Pluto take?
The journey lasted nine to nine-and-a-half years.
How long did it take for the data from the encounter to reach Earth?
The data took 15 months to trickle home.
Coverage (5)
- When the New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto in July of 2015 after a nine-and-a-half-year journey from Earth, it was traveling so fast — roughly 32,000 miles per hour — that it had less than 30 minutes to photograph the entire dwarf planet, and the im Space Daily · 19h ago
- NASA’s New Horizons travelled 3 billion miles over 9 years to reach Pluto The Times of India · 19h ago
- On This Day: NASA's New Horizons gets closest look yet at Pluto upi.com · 19h ago
- On This Day, July 14: NASA's New Horizons gets closest look yet at Pluto Yahoo · 19h ago
- New Horizons flew past Pluto so quickly that an encounter nine years in the making was effectively over within hours — but the data gathered during that brief passage took another 15 months to trickle home Space Daily · 19h ago
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