NASA Stardust mission
E654375
The NASA Stardust mission was a space probe launched to collect and return samples from the coma of comet Wild 2 and interstellar dust to Earth for detailed laboratory analysis.
Observed surface forms (2)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Stardust | 0 |
| Stardust comet sample return (2006 Earth reentry) | 1 |
Statements (49)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
NASA space probe
ⓘ
sample-return mission ⓘ |
| alsoKnownAs | Stardust (spacecraft) NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| closestApproachDistanceToWild2 | about 240 kilometers ⓘ |
| cometEncounterDate | 2004-01-02 ⓘ |
| communicationBand | X-band ⓘ |
| endOfMission | 2011-03-24 ⓘ |
| endOfMissionEvent | spacecraft commanded to shut down ⓘ |
| extendedMissionEncounterDate | 2011-02-14 ⓘ |
| extendedMissionTarget | Comet Tempel 1 NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| firsts |
first mission to return samples from a comet to Earth
ⓘ
first use of aerogel to capture high-velocity particles in space ⓘ |
| launchDate | 1999-02-07 ⓘ |
| launchSite | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 17A NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| launchVehicle | Delta II 7426 NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| massAtLaunch | about 385 kilograms ⓘ |
| missionCost | approximately 300 million US dollars ⓘ |
| missionDuration | about 12 years ⓘ |
| missionPhase |
comet flyby and sample collection
ⓘ
cruise to Comet Wild 2 ⓘ extended mission as Stardust-NExT ⓘ sample return to Earth ⓘ |
| missionType |
comet sample-return mission
ⓘ
interstellar dust collection mission ⓘ |
| operator | NASA ⓘ |
| powerSource | solar panels ⓘ |
| primaryTarget | Comet Wild 2 NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| principalInvestigator | Donald E. Brownlee NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| program | NASA Discovery Program NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| projectScientist | Donald E. Brownlee NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| reentryCharacteristic | one of the fastest Earth reentries of a human-made object ⓘ |
| reentrySpeed | about 12.9 kilometers per second ⓘ |
| sampleCollectionMedium | aerogel ⓘ |
| sampleCollectionMethod | fly-through of comet coma ⓘ |
| sampleReturnCapsuleLandingRegion | Utah, United States NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| sampleReturnCapsuleLandingSite | Utah Test and Training Range NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| sampleReturnCapsuleType | Earth reentry capsule ⓘ |
| sampleReturnDate | 2006-01-15 ⓘ |
| sampleType |
cometary dust
ⓘ
interstellar dust ⓘ |
| scienceObjective |
collect interstellar dust particles
ⓘ
collect samples from the coma of Comet Wild 2 ⓘ investigate interstellar dust properties ⓘ return extraterrestrial samples to Earth for laboratory analysis ⓘ study composition and structure of cometary material ⓘ |
| scientificOutcome |
detection of complex organic compounds in cometary samples
ⓘ
evidence that cometary material formed in the inner solar system and was transported outward ⓘ |
| spacecraftManufacturer | Lockheed Martin Astronautics NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| trajectory | flyby of Comet Wild 2 ⓘ |
Referenced by (2)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form:
Stardust comet sample return (2006 Earth reentry)