APOD: 2015 July 12 New Horizons Launch to Pluto . ... The craft is the fastest spaceships ever launched by humans, having passed the Moon only nine hours after launch, and Jupiter only a year later. ... Pluto , officially a planet when New Horizons launched, has never been visited by a spacecraft or photographed up close. ... Pictured , the New Horizons craft launches into space atop a powerful Atlas V rocket. ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . NASA Official: Jay Norris. ...