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Stardust

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Stardust Capsule Return, January 15, 2006

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The Mission of the Spacecraft Stardust

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Stardust (spacecraft) - Video Learning - WizScience.com

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USA: NASA'S STARDUST SPACE CRAFT SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED

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Aerogel from Stardust Mission

Stardust was a 390 kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on 7 February 1999. Its primary mission was to collect dust samples from the coma of comet Wild 2, as well as samples of cosmic dust, and return these to Earth for analysis. It was the first sample return mission of its kind. En route to comet Wild 2, the craft also flew by and studied the asteroid 5535 Annefrank. The primary mission was successfully completed on 15 January 2006, when the sample return capsule returned to Earth.
    • Mission background 

    • Mission profile 

    • Sample return 

    • Results