Stardust

January 8, 2004 9:16 PM

Close-up images of comet Wild 2 were taken by the Stardust spacecraft on Jan. 2, and NASA released 2 of them this week. The spacecraft flew within 149 miles of the comet, 242 million miles from Earth. Stardust has been overshadowed by the Mars Exploration Rover, but I find it just as impressive, if not even more so. Now I'm looking forward to the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, which will reach Saturn on July 1.
posted by homunculus (8 comments total)

Detailde description of Stardust's flyby.
There is also Hayabusa, asteroid sample return probe, lanched half a year ago.


On a very related topic:
News Flash: Bush to announce missions to moon and Mars.

Various Washington news reports, citing unnamed sources, say President George W. Bush will make a revolutionary speech about the U.S. space program next week. The stories say voyages to the moon will resume, followed by the first human expedition to Mars.
(also at Spacedaily)
posted by MzB at 9:55 PM on January 8, 2004

cool, thanks!
posted by evening at 5:32 AM on January 9, 2004

How *fake* do those pics look? Reminds me of this. Cool stuff, though.
posted by jpoulos at 6:52 AM on January 9, 2004

I just hope that the comet material doesn't contain any new life forms that infect and destroy the world.
posted by Lafe at 7:13 AM on January 9, 2004

Did anyone else take a quick look at the FPP and think "Comets Gone Wild 2" and where was I when the first one came out? Never mind. Good post.
posted by psmealey at 9:26 AM on January 9, 2004

Supremely neat!
posted by riffola at 10:37 AM on January 9, 2004

My family names are on one of the Stardust microchips.
posted by maggieb at 10:49 AM on January 9, 2004

Best. Headline. Ever.
posted by Wet Spot at 1:55 PM on January 9, 2004