“Discovering that our solar system has many more planets than we ever expected, and that most of them are ice dwarfs rather than like Earth and the other rocky terrestrials, is just another step in the revolution in viewpoint that removed the Earth from the center of the physical universe and makes Earth all the more special.”

American engineer, planetary scientist, and private astronaut

Alan Stern is an American engineer, planetary scientist, and private astronaut. He is best known as the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission to Pluto and as chief scientist at Moon Express. Stern has built a career in space science and exploration, with work that spans engineering, planetary research, and commercial space efforts. He is associated with projects focused on Pluto and the Moon, reflecting an interest in exploration, scientific discovery, and the expanding reach of private spaceflight.