CU's 'Student Dust Counter' On New Horizons Spacecraft Arrives At Pluto
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - A Colorado-built spacecraft made history Tuesday morning. Nearly a decade after it launched, New Horizons is flying by Pluto and is capturing pictures and information never seen before -- and the University of Colorado in Boulder has played a big role in the mission.
In 2006 NASA launched New Horizons into space. Three billion miles and nearly a decade later it has reached Pluto, giving scientists their first real look at the former planet.
"We have been waiting a long time. It's been 9 1/2 years, we're nearly there, we are nearly there," CU Professor Fran Bagenal said on Monday.
Bagenal has been involved in the mission from Day One leading a team of students who designed and built the SDC -- Student Dust Counter -- one of only seven instruments on board the spacecraft. In fact she was there when CBS4 visited the lab almost 10 years ago.
"Dust? Who cares about dust? … Little pieces that are left over are in some ways the most important," Bagenal said in the 2005 CBS4 report.
Bagenal says the cosmic particles hold clues to the evolution of the solar system.
Former student Beth Cervelli recognized the importance of the mission early on and joined the SDC science team as a senior.
"I knew immediately it was something I wanted to be involved in because there was nothing else like it and there probably won't be anything like it," Cervelli said.
It was a decision that has since led to a budding career working at the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics.
"Suddenly we're here and it's very weird to finally be here at Pluto," Cervelli said.
The university is in good company on the mission. Colorado's United Launch Alliance helped send the rocket carrying New Horizons into space while Ball Aerospace was responsible for one of the most important instruments on board -- a camera that scientist call Ralph.
