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NASA Chief Calls for Pluto’s Reinstatement as Planet

4/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called for reinstating Pluto as a planet during his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 28, 2026.
He explained that the International Astronomical Union holds the authority to define planetary status.
Isaacman said NASA will work with the scientific community to revisit Pluto’s classification and honor discoverer Clyde Tombaugh.
The 2015 New Horizons mission returned images of Pluto but left its dwarf-planet status unchanged.

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Story summary

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called for reinstating Pluto as a planet during his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 28, 2026.
He explained that the International Astronomical Union holds the authority to define planetary status.
Isaacman said NASA will work with the scientific community to revisit Pluto’s classification and honor discoverer Clyde Tombaugh.
The 2015 New Horizons mission returned images of Pluto but left its dwarf-planet status unchanged.