• Closeup of an aerogel sample, a transparent silicon-based cube with a smoky blue cast.
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    Stardust was the first U.S. space mission dedicated solely to returning extraterrestrial material from beyond the Moon. It collected samples from Comet Wild 2 and interstellar dust. Launched in 1999, it returned to Earth seven years later, parachuting to a landing in the Utah desert in 2006. Highlighted in this image are the sample collector grids of the Stardust Capsule.

Created by

Eric Long

Date Created

10/07/2014

Source

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Keywords

Exploration; Planetary; Robots; Science; Solar System; Space; Spacecraft

Rights and Restrictions

CC0
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