Chasing New Horizons: Inside Humankind's First Mission to Pluto

by Alan Stern

Many planetary scientists found it particularly annoying that mainstream press outlets seemed to report the reclassification as a fait accompli, accepting without question the authority of the IAU, an organization composed mostly of astronomers, rather than planetary scientists, to define a commonly used word like planet.

Alan chose a piece called “Faith of the Heart,” an emotional theme song from the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise.

History was made. New knowledge was created. A nation was reminded it can achieve greatness. And a world was reminded that we humans, we Earthlings—really can accomplish amazing things.