Whether Pluto is a planet depends on your definition. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) first changed Pluto’s status from the ninth full-sized planet in our solar system to a dwarf planet in 2006 (“Why is Pluto No Longer a Planet?”). Because Pluto shares its orbital neighborhood with other space objects in the Kuiper Belt, it was demoted. But Alan Stern of NASA calls this decision both “badly misguided” and “a public relations disaster” (0:58-1:16). Even though Pluto fails to meet one of the IAU’s three planetary standards, it still meets NASA’s three standards: 1. Pluto is in space. 2. It’s never been a star. 3. Self-gravity has shaped it into a sphere (Stern).