This July 14th will see the culmination of a decade long science project for NASA as the spacecraft New Horizons flies past the planet Pluto. Pluto was discovered by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 and was recently demoted from planet to dwarf planet. This cold and distant planet has never been the source of so much excitement before.

People are planning “Plutopalooza” parties to celebrate the flyby as NASA makes it their business to popularize the event. They have even released a two and half minute long video entitled “The Wait” which is set to a song called ‘Renegades” sung by the X Ambassadors.

The New Horizons mission which was launched in January 2006 and has cost an estimated $700 million has allowed humans to finally study Pluto. A planet which has been just too far, considering its 300 billion mile distance from Earth, to be studied with any degree of comprehension.

Pluto is just one of many denizens of the Kuiper Belt, the ring of frigid bodies beyond Neptune’s orbit. So New Horizons’ observations should help researchers better understand an entire realm of little-known worlds, mission team members from NASA have said.

Should this science project be successful there may be another fly by to look forward to in the year 2019 when the funds are provided for an extended mission. The Kuiper Belt is soon going to be sharing many secrets with human beings.