Heading For New Horizons-Planet X

[Tom]

A 10 year trip to the edges of our solar system may determine the fate of our textbooks. New Horizons project at NASA is going to study Pluto (planet X) in the next decade. Along with the Kuniper belt objects they will try to determine what Pluto really is. This is an interesting debate and it looks like it could get very facinating.

 

[Tom]

Frequently Asked Questions
TOP 10 FUN FACTS

* Is Pluto a planet?
* Does Pluto have a moon?
* How cold is it on Pluto?
* Could there be life on Pluto?
* Does Pluto have an atmosphere?
* What would a human see on Pluto?
* Why send a mission to Pluto?
* How long does it take to get to Pluto?
* Why not go into orbit around Pluto?
* How much does a mission to Pluto cost?



* Is there enough light to read a book on Pluto?
* What does the Sun or Earth look like from Pluto?
* What would you weigh on Pluto or Charon?
* Does a human have enough energy to jump into orbit around Pluto?
* Would I be able to ski on Pluto?
* Are there any good hills on Pluto?
* How are the snow conditions on Pluto?
* What would a human see on Pluto?

 

[Tom]

Pluto In Science Fiction- An Incomplete list


Pluto in science fiction.

Allen, Roger MacBride. The Ring of Charon. Tor, 1990.
Baxter, Stephen. "Gossamer." Science Fiction Age, November 1995.
Beattie, George B. "The 'Platinum Planets'." Wonder Stories, 8/32.
Benford, Gregory & Paul A. Carter. "Proserpina's Daughter." 1988.
Binder, Eando. "The Thieves from Isot." Wonder Stories, 10/34.
Budrys, Algis. Man of Earth. Ballantine, 1958.
Coblentz, Stanton. "Into Plutonian Depths." Wonder Stories Quarterly, Spring 1931. Later published in book form by Avon, 1950.
Coblentz, Stanton. "Riches for Pluto." Astounding, 12/34.
Daniel, Tony. Metaplanetary. Avon/Eos, 2001.
Wollheim, Donald A. Superluminal. Eos, 2004.
Ferrell, Joseph. "Mind-Stealers of Pluto." Planet Stories, Winter, 1944.
Gallun, Raymond Z.. "Blue Haze on Pluto." Astounding, 6/35.
Gauger, Rick. Charon's Ark. Ballantine, 1987.
Gottesman, S.D. (C.M. Kornbluth) "King Cole of Pluto." Super Science Stories, 1940.
Greenland, Colin. Mother of Plenty. Avon Eos, 1999.
Greenland, Colin. Seasons of Plenty. AvoNova, 1996.
Greenland, Colin. Take Back Plenty. AvoNova, 1992.
Heinlein, Robert. Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. Scribner, 1958.
Kenyon, Joseph P. "Pluto." Scream Factory, Fall 1993.
Kostkos, Henry J. "Earth Rehabilitors, Consolidated." Amazing Stories, 3-4/35.
Kruse, Clifton B. "A Princess of Pallis." Astounding Stories, 10/35.
Latham, Philip (pen-name for R.S. Richardson). "The Rose-Bowl Pluto Hypothesis." Orbit 5, edited by Damond Knight. Putnam, 1969.
Laumer, Keith. "No Ship Boots in Fairyland," Once There Was a Giant. Edited by Keith Laumer. Tor, 1984.
Leinster, Murray. "Pipeline to Pluto." Astounding, 8/45.
Lowndes, Robert W. "Report of the Plutonian Ambassador by Sr. Doc Lowndes." Wonder Stories, 9/35.
Manning, Laurence & Fletcher Pratt. "Expedition to Pluto." Planet Stories, Winter, 1939.
Niven, Larry. "Wait It Out." Future Unbounded. Westercon Program Book, 1968.
Niven, Larry. World of Ptaavs, Ballentine, 1966.
Pong, Hoy Ping (Wilson Tucker). "Report on the 196th Convention." Wonder Stories, 11/34.
Post, Jonathan V. "Skiing the Methane Snows of Pluto." Focus, Autumn, 1979.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. Icehenge. Jove, 1984.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. "On the North Pole of Pluto." Incorporated into Icehenge.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. The Memory of Whiteness. Tor, 1985.
Rocklynne, Ross. "The Last Outpost," Astounding, 7/45.
Silverberg, Robert. "Pluto in the Morning Light.".
Simak, Clifford D. Cosmic Engineers. Gnome, 1950.
Simak, Clifford D. "Construction Shack." Worlds of If, 1-2/73.
Sloat, Edwin K. "Beyond the Planetoids." Amazing Stories, 8/32.
Smith, Clark Ashton. "The Plutonian Drug." The Outer Reaches, edited by August Derleth. Pelligrini Cudahy, 1951.
Smith, E.E. "Doc". "The Skylark Valeron." Astounding Stories, 8/34-2/35.
Stangland, Arthur G. "Crossroads of Space." Wonder Stories, 9/32.
Starzl, R.F. "The Earthman's Burden." Astounding Stories, 6/31.
Starzl, R.F. "Planet of Despair." Wonder Stories, 7/31.
Statten, Vargo. (John Russell Fearn). Deadline to Pluto. Scion, 1951.
Stearn, Charles A. "The Pluto Lamp." Planet Stories, Fall 1954.
Sterling, Kenneth. "The Brain-Eaters of Pluto." Wonder Stories, 3/34.
Stone, Leslie F. "The Rape of the Solar System." Amazing Stories, 12/34.
Tucker, Wilson. To the Tombaugh Station. Ace, 1960
Varley, John. The Ophiuchi Hotline. Dial Press, 1977.
Wait, Robert A. "Cosmic Steeple-Chase'." Amazing Stories, 4/32.
Walters, Hugh. Passage to Pluto. Nelson, 1973.
West, Wallace. "En Route to Pluto." Astounding, 8/36.
Weinbaum, Stanley. "The Red Peri." Astounding, 11/35.
Williamson, Jack. The Cometeers. Fantasy Press, 1950.
Williamson, Jack. "The Plutonian Terror." Weird Tales, 10/33.
Winterbotham, R.R. "The Psycho Power Conquest." Astounding Stories, 2/36.
Wollheim, Donald A. The Secret of the Ninth Planet. Paperback Library, 1965.

[Compiled by Steven Silver.]

Thanx to Mercury at physlink for this list

 

[Tim]

the Clangers come out to meet the probe, and eat it

then Tripods come out of slumber ready to retake earth

all terrestrial transmissions are interrupted by a horrifying testcard

NASA scientists confused over their patchy images with existing technology, on receipt of beamed back images from probe, go "sheeeeeet!"

the indiginous life forms on pluto contact earth resistance asking for help

unfortunately the heroes of the rebellion had just got too old and refused to fight the good cause, or simply just look like they'd developed drink problems in later life

in the end, we just decided, enough was enough and offered to upgrade their computer systems with the latest version of M$ software, which caused the entire alien attack fleet to break down and limp home, thank you BG :