On Feb. 7, 1999, the Stardust mission launched. The first-of-its-kind sample-return mission was commissioned with flying through the coma of Comet Wild 2, collecting dust particles, and then bringing those particles back to Earth.
On Nov. 2, 2002, the spacecraft made a practice run past asteroid 5535 Annefrank to ensure the equipment was functioning correctly for its encounter with its target. The craft featured an autonomous navigation system as well as a sample-collector that resembled a tennis racket. This tool was filled with aerogel – a silica-based substance that could preserve the composition and isotopic characteristics of the dust it caught. On Jan. 2, 2004, Stardust flew by Comet Wild 2 at a distance of 150 miles (241 kilometers), and successfully captured over 10,000 particles. The spacecraft then set off on its return journey to Earth, and on Jan. 15, 2006, the sample-return capsule separated from the craft and entered Earth’s atmosphere at over 28,000 mph (12.8 km/s). It successfully parachuted to a landing in the Utah desert. The particles Stardust had collected revealed new details about the commonality of the building blocks of life in the universe, and the conditions under which the solar system formed.
