Stardust Memories
Cosmic dust may reveal some of the uncovered secrets of our universe
- By Anika Gupta
- Smithsonian magazine, December 2008, Subscribe
NASA's Stardust capsule returned from a seven-year, three-billion-mile trip to collect dust from comet Wild 2. JPL-CalTech / NASA
Space enthusiasts can now get an up-close look at the latest extraterrestrial explorer. In 2006, NASA's Stardust capsule returned from a seven-year, three-billion-mile trip to collect dust from comet Wild 2—the first mission to bring home a piece of the solar system from someplace other than the moon. Measuring just 32 inches in diameter—not much bigger than a standard car tire—Stardust was fitted with a special arm topped with squishy gel patches to collect comet particles without damaging them. "Like bugs on a windshield, except the [bugs] didn't get crushed," is how Air and Space Museum senior curator Roger Launius described the delicate collection process. NASA scientists will sift the comet dust for clues about the elemental makeup of the outer solar system. The stellar dust might even reveal how the composition of stars has changed over time, leading to insights into the origin of the universe. The capsule went on permanent display at the museum's "Milestones of Flight" exhibit on September 24.
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Related topics: Astronomy Solar System
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Comments (1)
I was in Utah when Stardust made its re-entry. Unfortunately, a major snowstorm blew in and I did not trust my rental car to be stranded in the remote area for weather problems. I later participated on the online Virtual scanning of the aerogel for tracks. Cool! I can hardly wait for mankind return to moon and Mars... CJ
- May Friendship and Knowledge Be Yours -
Posted by curtis johnson on January 18,2010 | 12:19 AM