The secrets of the universe continue to fascinate mankind. Space agencies of countries like USA and Russia have sent numerous exploratory probes into space seeking to understand the making of the universe. On January 19, 2006, NASA launched New Horizons, the first and so far, the only probe to explore Pluto, its moons and the Kuiper belt.
New Horizons set a record as soon as it was launched – it zoomed into space at 16.26 km/sec –the highest launch speed of a man-made object from Earth. It reached Jupiter in February 2007. Not only did it take photographs of the gas giant, but more importantly, it received a gravity assist which increased its speed and shortened its journey to Pluto by three years.
After almost a decade after its launch, the probe made history by conducting the first-ever flyby of Pluto on July 14. It also studied its moon, Charon. The probe is now on its way to the Kuiper belt, a zone beyond the orbit of Neptune. The belt contains many small celestial bodies composed mainly of methane, ammonia and water. Astronomers regard the Kuiper Belt as an archaeological goldmine containing crucial information about planetary formation.
