An unmanned NASA spacecraft whizzed by Pluto on Tuesday and survived its close encounter with the distant dwarf planet after a journey of 4.8 billion kilometers and nearly 10 years.

Moving faster than any spacecraft ever built, at a speed of about 49,570 km per hour, the nuclear-powered New Horizons - about the size of a baby grand piano - snapped pictures of Pluto as it hurtled by on autopilot.

The photos will reveal details of Pluto never seen before in the history of space travel.