Monday, April 10, 2006
stardust
This is straight from sci-fi.
It took seven years and a journey of 2.88 billion miles to get this
material. NASA's Stardust sample-return mission returned safely to
Earth when the capsule carrying cometary and interstellar particles
successfully tuched down the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training
Range.
The sample return capsule's science canister and its cargo of comet
and interstellar dust particles will be stowed inside a special
aluminum carrying case to await transfer to the Johnson Space Center,
Houston, where it will be opened. NASA's Stardust mission traveled
2.88 billion miles during its seven-year round-trip odyssey.
Scientists believe these precious samples will help provide answers to
fundamental questions about comets and the origins of the solar
system.
NASA scientists said it required ten years of planning and seven years
of flight operations to successfully achieve this mission.
The reason why was eagerly awaited was that it was the first U.S.
space mission dedicated solely to the exploration of a comet, and the
first robotic mission designed to return extraterrestrial material
from outside the orbit of the Moon.
It was launched in February 1999, from Cape Canaveral Air Station,
Florida, with the primary aim of collecting dust and carbon-based
samples during its closest encounter with Comet Wild 2, something that
was scheduled for January 2004, after nearly four years of space
travel.
Additionally, the Stardust spacecraft brought back samples of
interstellar dust, including recently discovered dust streaming into
our Solar System from the direction of Sagittarius. These materials
are believed to consist of ancient pre-solar interstellar grains and
nebular that includes remnants from the formation of the Solar System.
Analysis of such fascinating celestial specks is expected to yield
important insights into the evolution of the Sun its planets and
possibly even the origin of life itself.
In order to meet up with comet Wild 2, the spacecraft made three loops
around the Sun. On the second loop, its trajectory intersected the
comet. During the meeting, Stardust performed a variety of tasks
including reporting counts of comet particles encountered by the
spacecraft.
Using a substance called aerogel, Stardust captured these samples and
stored them for safe keep on its long journey back to Earth.
So what next, Bringing aliens from space. Keep watching
It took seven years and a journey of 2.88 billion miles to get this
material. NASA's Stardust sample-return mission returned safely to
Earth when the capsule carrying cometary and interstellar particles
successfully tuched down the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training
Range.
The sample return capsule's science canister and its cargo of comet
and interstellar dust particles will be stowed inside a special
aluminum carrying case to await transfer to the Johnson Space Center,
Houston, where it will be opened. NASA's Stardust mission traveled
2.88 billion miles during its seven-year round-trip odyssey.
Scientists believe these precious samples will help provide answers to
fundamental questions about comets and the origins of the solar
system.
NASA scientists said it required ten years of planning and seven years
of flight operations to successfully achieve this mission.
The reason why was eagerly awaited was that it was the first U.S.
space mission dedicated solely to the exploration of a comet, and the
first robotic mission designed to return extraterrestrial material
from outside the orbit of the Moon.
It was launched in February 1999, from Cape Canaveral Air Station,
Florida, with the primary aim of collecting dust and carbon-based
samples during its closest encounter with Comet Wild 2, something that
was scheduled for January 2004, after nearly four years of space
travel.
Additionally, the Stardust spacecraft brought back samples of
interstellar dust, including recently discovered dust streaming into
our Solar System from the direction of Sagittarius. These materials
are believed to consist of ancient pre-solar interstellar grains and
nebular that includes remnants from the formation of the Solar System.
Analysis of such fascinating celestial specks is expected to yield
important insights into the evolution of the Sun its planets and
possibly even the origin of life itself.
In order to meet up with comet Wild 2, the spacecraft made three loops
around the Sun. On the second loop, its trajectory intersected the
comet. During the meeting, Stardust performed a variety of tasks
including reporting counts of comet particles encountered by the
spacecraft.
Using a substance called aerogel, Stardust captured these samples and
stored them for safe keep on its long journey back to Earth.
So what next, Bringing aliens from space. Keep watching
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]