What do a classic rock band and Pluto’s smallest moon have in common? Answer: they both share the same name.

Styx met with members of NASA’s New Horizons team yesterday, including the scientist who discovered Styx – Pluto’s faintest moon - in 2012.
 
The unusual convergence took place at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD, mission operations center for New Horizons. The unmanned New Horizons spacecraft is on final approach to Pluto and its moons, just days away from a historic July 14 flyby that will return the first images of the mysterious dwarf planet.
 
Styx’s Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitar), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), and Todd Sucherman (drums) were treated to a tour of New Horizons mission control from mission operations manager Alice Bowman. Principal investigator Alan Stern wowed the trio with the latest images from New Horizons, while Stern and dozens of project members gathered at APL’s main auditorium for a group photo as the band’s hit “Come Sail Away” hung in the air.  

Read more at this location.

 

 

Tour dates:

July
2 - Bristow - VA - Jiffy Lube Live
3 - Virginia Beach - VA - Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
5 - Uncasville - CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
7 - Gilford - MD - Bank of NH Pavilion at Meadowbrook
9 - Mansfield - MA - Xfinity Center
11 - Bethel - NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
12 - Darien - NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
14 - Toronto - ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
15 - Youngstown - OH - Covelli Centre
17 - Clarkston - MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
21 - Mt. Pleasant - MI - Soaring eagle Resort & Casino
23 - Saratoga Springs - NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
24 - Wantagh - NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
25 - Holmdel - NJ - PNC Banks Art Center

August
7 - Sturgis - SD - Buffalo Chip Campground
8 - Sioux Falls - SD - Sioux Falls Arena
10 - Oklahoma City - OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena
11 - Kansas City - MO - Starlight Theatre
14 - Sedalia - MO - Missouri State Fair
15 - Des Moines - IA - Iowa State Fair
17 - Cincinnati - OH - Riverbend Music Center
18 - Nashville - TN - Bridgestone Arena
21 - Dallas - TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
22 - Woodlands - TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
23 - Austin - TX - Austin360 Amphitheater
27 - St. Paul - MN - Minnesota State Fair
28 - Grand Forks - ND - Alerus Center
30 - Noblesville - IN - Klipsch Music Center

September
1 - Allentown - PA - The Great Allentown Fair
3 - Louisville - KY - KFC Yum! Center
4 - Maryland Heights - MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
5 - Tinley Park - IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
16 - Auburn - WA - White River Amphitheatre
17 - Ridgefield - WA - Amphitheater Northwest
19 - Mountain View - CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
22 - Chula Vista - CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre
23 - Phoenix - AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion
25 - Albuquerque - NM - Isleta Amphitheater
26 - Denver - CO - Pepsi Center
28 - West Valley City - UT - USANA Amphitheatre
30 - Spokane - WA - Spokane Arena

October
2 - Bozeman - MT - Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
4 - Bismarck - ND - Bismarck Civic Center