Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft 'phones home' after flyby of Ultima Thule

Scientists celebrate probe's successful completion of most distant space flyby in history

Nasa scientists are celebrating after a spacecraft "phoned home" to confirm it had successfully performed the most distant space flyby in history in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Thousands of photographs of the dark, icy space rock called Ultima Thule were snapped by the New Horizons probe as it barrelled past it on the outer edge of the solar system at 0533 GMT.