'

Photos: Stardust capsule returns with comet dust

1 of 5
  • landing

    landing

    NASA's Stardust capsule successfully landed on Jan. 15 at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range. The 100-pound capsule was launched in 1999 and traveled 2.9 billion miles to capture particles from comet Wild 2 and return to Earth.

    See previous coverage of the Stardust mission.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • return to earth

    return to earth

    The Stardust capsule's re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere created a light show captured by NASA's DC-8 Airborn Laboratory. It was the fastest re-entry of a manmade object, returning at a speed of 28,860 miles per hour after being ejected from the main spacecraft as it flew past Earth.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • capsule

    capsule

    After cutting away the parachute, NASA workers carried the capsule to a recovery helicopter.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • transport

    transport

    The capsule was packed inside a protective covering and then transported to a laboratory for analysis.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • cleanroom

    cleanroom

    The Stardust capsule was taken to a temporary "clean room" at the Michael Army Air Field in Utah where scientists began examining the cannister and its contents--hopefully uncovering secrets of the solar system.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

1 of 5

After a 2.9 billion mile journey, NASA's Stardust probe returned to Earth--carrying secrets of the solar system.

Read More Read Less

landing

NASA's Stardust capsule successfully landed on Jan. 15 at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range. The 100-pound capsule was launched in 1999 and traveled 2.9 billion miles to capture particles from comet Wild 2 and return to Earth.

See previous coverage of the Stardust mission.

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

1 of 5

Related Topics:

Innovation CXO Digital Transformation Tech Industry Smart Cities Cloud
Add Your Comment
Add Your Comment

Related Galleries

    • 1 of 3