Stardust Mission To Rendezvous January 15

IRON AND ICE

Pasadena CA (JPL) January 05, 2006
Ten days before its historic return to Earth with the first-ever samples from a comet, NASA's Stardust spacecraft successfully performed its 18th flight path adjustment. This second-to-last scheduled maneuver puts the spacecraft on the right path to rendezvous with Earth on Jan. 15 (Universal Time), when it will release its sample return capsule.

At 1800 Universal Time (10:00 am Pacific Time) on Thursday, Jan. 5, Stardust fired all eight of its 4.4 newton (1-pound) thrusters for a total of 107 seconds, changing the comet sampler's speed by 2.4 meters per second (about 5.4 miles per hour). The maneuver required 385 grams

(0. 85 pounds) of hydrazine monopropellant to complete. A final trajectory correction maneuver is scheduled prior to release of the sample return capsule.

"It was a textbook maneuver," said Ed Hirst, Stardust deputy mission manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "After sifting through all the post-burn data, I expect we will find ourselves right on the money."

In the early morning hours of January 15, 2006, the Stardust mission returns to Earth after a 4.63 billion kilometer (2.88 billion mile) round-trip journey carrying a precious cargo of cometary and interstellar dust particles. Scientists believe Stardust's cargo will help provide answers to fundamental questions about the origins of the solar system.

Scientists believe in-depth terrestrial analysis of cometary samples will reveal much not just about comets but about the earliest history of the solar system. Locked within the cometary particles is unique chemical and physical information that could be the record of the formation of the planets and the materials from which they were made.

Extensive information on the Stardust mission is available from the Stardust site at www.nasa.gov/stardust .

JPL manages the Stardust mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, developed and operates the spacecraft. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology. NASA's Johnson Space Center contributed to Stardust payload development, and the Johnson Space Center will curate the sample and support analysis and sample allocation.

IRON AND ICE

LockMart-Built Stardust Spacecraft Ready To Return Comet Samples To Earth

Denver CO (SPX) Jan 12, 2006
A capsule containing comet particles and interstellar dust samples collected in space by NASA's Stardust spacecraft - designed and built by Lockheed Martin - is heading to Earth for a parachute landing early on the morning of January 15, 2006, in northwest Utah.

NASA Prepares For Return Of Interstellar Cargo

Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 28, 2005
NASA's Stardust mission is nearing Earth after a 4.63 billion kilometer (2.88 billion mile) round-trip journey to return cometary and interstellar dust particles back to Earth. Scientists believe the cargo will help provide answers to fundamental questions about comets and the origins of the solar system.

Stardust Nears End Of Epic Journey

Donald Brownlee's heart skipped a beat six years ago when the launch of the Stardust spacecraft didn't happen as planned. The University of Washington astronomy professor has experienced many other tense times since the historic mission blasted off a day late, and its return to Earth on Jan. 15 will be just one more white-knuckle moment.

Stardust Mission To Rendezvous January 15

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 10, 2006
On January 15, 2006, after more than 7 years and billions of miles of travel through space, NASA's Stardust spacecraft will release a 100-pound sample return capsule (SRC) to Earth with some precious cargo - pristine samples of comet and interstellar dust.

NASA'S Spitzer Finds Possible Comet Dust Around Dead Star

Pasadena CA (SPX) Jan 12, 2006
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted what may be comet dust sprinkled around the white dwarf star G29-38, which died approximately 500 million years ago.

Public To Look For Dust Grains In Stardust Detectors

Berkeley CA (SPX) Jan 11, 2006
Astronomy buffs who jumped at the chance to use their home computers in the SETI@home search for intelligent life in the universe will soon be able to join an Internet-based search for dust grains originating from stars millions of light years away.