Stardust capsule returns to Earth

om3ga

It's good to be the king...
For my final post tonight, a bit of scientific genius:

Premium Image Content
Upgrade to Premium to view all images in this thread


A capsule containing comet particles and interstellar dust has landed on Earth after a seven-year space mission.

The Stardust probe released the capsule as it flew back to Earth after a 4.6-billion-km (2.8-billion-mile) trip (highlight of it's seven-year mission was a close encounter with Comet Wild 2 in January 2004, sweeping up particles from the frozen body of ice and dust, flying to within 240km (149 miles) of the comet's core).

The US-built capsule plunged through the atmosphere and touched down in the Utah desert at 0312 (1012 GMT).

Scientists believe the first cometary dust samples ever returned to Earth will shed light on the origins of the Solar System.

Full story here:

Premium Link Upgrade

Well done folks, but if I may impart one word of advice:
I hope everyone involved with the project has seen (or read) "The Andrmeda Strain".
 
Last edited:

Premium Content

This thread contains exclusive content for our premium community members.

What you're missing:
  • Full discussion and replies
  • Community interaction and voting
Already have an account?
✨ Unlock exclusive discussions and premium features
Premium Benefits:
Exclusive content • Priority support • Advanced features • Full thread access
Top