A Rock Band And A Moon, United In Name

Transcript

ERIC WESTERVELT, HOST:

A classic rock band and a bunch of NASA scientists met in a lab in Maryland this week, all because of a name - Styx.

(SOUNDBITE OF STYX SONG, "COME SAIL AWAY")

WESTERVELT: As in the legendary 1970s band from Chicago and Pluto's smallest moon. Dr. Mark Showalter led NASA's New Horizons team, which named the planet. He said he was over the moon to meet the rock and roll version of Styx. The band got to see mission control and the latest images from the space probe. The unmanned New Horizons probe is currently on its final approach to Pluto and its moons, and on July 14, is expected to deliver the most detailed photos of the dwarf planet ever. Soon the band can get to work on adding the far reaches of the solar system to its tour schedule.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "COME SAIL AWAY")

STYX: (Singing) Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me. Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.