When the New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto it was the first time mankind has visited what is now called a dwarf planet.
On board that spacecraft, is a man – or rather his ashes – from New Mexico.
Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto as a young astronomer in Arizona. He later moved to New Mexico and founded the astronomy dept at New Mexico State University in 1955.
When NASA launched its Pluto mission 9 years ago, they placed a canister of Tombaugh’s ashes on board the spacecraft.
link.
hm. Perhaps they ought to have named the spacecraft Tombaugh. ah well.
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