Scientists pleased by Stardust sample return
Posted: Fri, Jan 20, 2006, 7:54 AM ET (1254 GMT)
Scientists involved with NASA's Stardust mission said Thursday that they were extremely happy with the cargo of cometary and interstellar dust returned by the spacecraft. The Stardust capsule parachuted to Earth early Sunday, nearly seven years after the spacecraft launched on its mission, and two years after it flew past the comet Wild-2. Project scientists said they were "totally overwhelmed" with the amount of dust captured by the spacecraft, embedded within blocks of aerogel. Over one million particles one micron or larger were collected, including one grain that created a hole in the aerogel large enough to stick a small finger into. Initial scientific results from studies of the particles are expected in March.
Scientists involved with NASA's Stardust mission said Thursday that they were extremely happy with the cargo of cometary and interstellar dust returned by the spacecraft. The Stardust capsule parachuted to Earth early Sunday, nearly seven years after the spacecraft launched on its mission, and two years after it flew past the comet Wild-2. Project scientists said they were "totally overwhelmed" with the amount of dust captured by the spacecraft, embedded within blocks of aerogel. Over one million particles one micron or larger were collected, including one grain that created a hole in the aerogel large enough to stick a small finger into. Initial scientific results from studies of the particles are expected in March.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Friday, March 14
Britt, Tuberville talk Space Command and legislative updates for Alabama
Alabama Daily News — 4:24 am ET (0824 GMT) Calls Swell For The U.S. To Invest In Space Superiority
Aviation Week — 4:23 am ET (0823 GMT) Autonomy Has Outpaced International Space Law
War on the Rocks — 4:20 am ET (0820 GMT) Sonic boom expected from SpaceX's second launch this week from Vandenberg SFB
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 4:20 am ET (0820 GMT) X announces Bracket Challenge promising trip to Mars with SpaceX as grand prize
Awful Announcing — 4:19 am ET (0819 GMT) |
