signal eartha it captured the world s first close-up of the planet pluto. this small but tenacious rocket roared up from cape canaveral 9 1/2 years ago, in january of 2006 on a mission that aroused momentary interest among the earthbound. the new horizon ships had a long way to go amid the stars, 3 billion miles to be exact at 30,000 miles per hour. up until eight months after the launch everything seems normal. then in 2006 the fine-tuners got together to scientific conference and downgraded pluto from planet to minor planet. then the cruelless blow of all, to a dwarf planet number 134340. the space world s best minds sweared off angrily at this insult bad science some called