Planetary science

Stardust

Completed

Image: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Launched: 7 Feb 199921:04:15 UTC
Last contact: 24 Mar 201123:33:00 UTC
End declared: 24 Mar 2011
Duration: 12 years 1 month
Destinations: Wild 2, Tempel 1

The first mission to bring back samples from a comet, catching dust from comet Wild 2 in aerogel and returning it to Earth in 2006. The spacecraft then flew on to visit comet Tempel 1.

Milestones

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200020022004200620082010

Spacecraft

Stardust

Flyby

Completed

Probe with a tennis-racket-shaped aerogel collector and shields to protect it from comet dust.

Launch mass: 385 kg
Dry mass: 254 kg
Size: 1.7 m × 0.6 m, span 4.8 m
Power: Solar
Built by: Lockheed Martin
Last contact: 24 Mar 2011, 23:33:00 UTC
End declared: 24 Mar 2011
Designator: 1999-003A

Mission details from science.nasa.gov.