Pluto returns to the center of a cosmic controversy: NASA chief calls for the restoration of planet status

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) demoted Pluto from the planet category to that of "dwarf planets" 20 years ago, and now the new NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, brings the subject back to the forefront and officially supports its reinclusion in the list of planets of the Solar System, Space.com reports. During a hearing before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Isaacman strongly supported Pluto's return to its previous status, stating that NASA is working on scientific arguments to be promoted to the international astronomical community to reconsider the 2006 decision.

• The 2006 decision continues to divide the scientific community

In 2006, the IAU determined that to be considered a planet, a celestial body must meet three criteria: orbit the Sun; be nearly spherical in shape; and have its orbital vicinity "cleared" of other celestial bodies. Pluto meets the first two conditions, but not the third, because it orbits in the Kuiper Belt, a region populated by numerous other icy objects. This definition has been contested since the beginning, with many astronomers arguing that other planets, including Earth and Jupiter, coexist with asteroids or other bodies, without this affecting their status.

• Pluto, an American cultural and scientific symbol

For Americans, Pluto has a special value: it was discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, at the Lowell Observatory, being the only planet identified by an American citizen. For this reason, the debate goes beyond the strictly scientific sphere, also having a strong symbolic dimension. Republican Senator Jerry Moran even invoked Tombaugh's legacy during the hearings. Isaacman stressed that Tombaugh's recognition must be restored: "We are very strongly in favor of the idea of re-incorporating Pluto into the category of planets."

• New Horizons mission reignites interest in Pluto

A key moment in reigniting this controversy was the historic flyby of the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015, which returned the first detailed images of Pluto. The photos revealed a surprisingly complex world, with: mountain ranges; nitrogen glaciers; vast plains; the famous heart-shaped region called Tombaugh Regio. These discoveries have strengthened the case for those who believe Pluto is much more than just a dwarf planet.

• NASA can influence the debate, but not decide

While the NASA administrator's position may have symbolic and scientific weight, the final authority on the classification of celestial objects lies solely with the IAU.

Thus, any change in status would require a formal international review, making a quick decision unlikely. The dispute reflects a fundamental question: What does a planet actually mean? For proponents of the reclassification, the current definition is too restrictive and arbitrary. For opponents, maintaining strict criteria is necessary for scientific coherence. Pluto remains, at least for now, a "dwarf planet” with a huge status in the collective imagination. Even if the IAU shows no signs of reconsidering its decision anytime soon, the intervention of the head of NASA guarantees that the debate over Pluto's status is far from over. After all, the Pluto case is not just an astronomical dispute, but also a confrontation between tradition, public emotion and the evolution of modern scientific definitions.