Since Pluto has been demoted, are they planning on disregarding the probe that was sent to Pluto in January?

Question

A story hit the news in January 2006 stating that Lockheed Martin built a probe which NASA launched to Pluto. This probe was scheduled to reach Pluto in 2015. Do you think that researching the ex-planet is still beneficial since Pluto has been demoted?

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060119_pluto_nh_launch.html

Answer 1

Nope they are having other plans about that probe right now. Especially little discovered planets like Mercury are very upset that instead of bona fide planets like themselves, a dwarf planet called Pluto is getting all the attention and they let it be known that they will be hostile to attempts of human colonization if this does not stop right away. Of course this announcement was not made publicly available for obvious reasons but under the UN's secret orders NASA started to work on changing the destination of the New Horizons space probe from Pluto to inner solar system, possibly to Venus and Mercury.

However my resources in NASA, under the condition of anonymity, told that there is a glitch in the probe's software and it may not be possible to change destination at this point. If this proves to be the case, the scientists will start considering activating the auto destruct sequence before the probe gets anywhere near Pluto. Yet no one seems to know wether there is an auto destruct system on the probe as the recent budget cuts forced NASA to abondon all non-vital parts to space probes, and then lay off all the scientists who designed the probe. It is a really really tough situation out there.

Answer 2

Well it's too late now, it's not like there is a string on it where we can reel the probe back in? I guess what every they wanted to look at will still be up there. Might as well look at it.
The question is, since Pluto is not a planet will some dim bulb congressmen, when asked to vote on NASA budget say, "what's this stuff in here for Pluto probes? It's not a planet anymore, Isn't somebody else's responsibility?"

Answer 3

Of course not, the probe has been launched and will continue on its mission. We will learn a lot more about the non-planet when the probe starts sending back info. Keep watching the news for reports once the probe reaches Pluto...

Answer 4

Just changing the name does not change the science requirements to study solar system bodies.

The probe continues and will bring us great information on the"dwarf planet Pluto."

Answer 5

No they are still sending the probe.

Answer 6

Like it never happened!