Rich Neal: “I rise this morning to mark the occasion of the New Horizons spacecraft reaching Pluto. New Horizons launched on January…”

“I rise this morning to mark the occasion of the New Horizons spacecraft reaching Pluto. New Horizons launched on January 19, 2006, and since 2007, has been traveling steadily at 30,000 miles per hour. This morning, at approximately 7:49:57 a.m., the New Horizons spacecraft rendezvoused with Pluto, three billion miles away from Earth. Having just passed Pluto this morning, New Horizons will continue on in the Kuiper belt. Standing here as the spacecraft just passed Pluto, I take great pride in noting that a Massachusetts astronomer helped in the discovery of its existence. While Clyde Tombaugh formally discovered Pluto, it was Boston astronomer Percival Lowell's calculations that led the way. The P and the L that make the astronomical symbol for Pluto serve as a testament to Lowell's part in the discovery of this small planet. Lowell's contribution to astronomy also stands today with the establishment of the Lowell Observatory located in Flagstaff, Arizona. Percival Lowell inspired countless generations with his advocacy of astronomy, and more than 80,000 visitors each year go through the doors of the observatory. I am certainly proud to have known Lowell's descendants, the Putnam family, for years; and I admire their continued advocacy of the Lowell Observatory.…”