Pluto is the last unexplored planet in our Solar System. There is a note of urgency to visit Pluto in that its thin atmosphere, discovered only in 1988 when Pluto was closest to the Sun, is believed to be starting to condense as the planet moves outward again. Its atmosphere may freeze and fall to the surface, making it impossible to study it. Also, Pluto's surface is plunging into more and more shadow. Thus, earlier arrival will allow more complete exploration.
Students explore reactions to the situation.
An open-ended discussion is encouraged. The only information we have about Pluto has been gained from observations through ground-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope. New knowledge gained through space exploration in the last twenty years has shaped new questions about what we can learn from Pluto. In this phase, science teams are formed to conduct research about what is known about Pluto. Astronomy books, books specifically about Pluto, articles in periodicals, and the internet are good starting points.