The STARDUSTPanoramas
Created For NASA and CalTech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory To Tell
The Story of STARDUST
The first United States spacecraft designed to physically
encounter an object of study, survive and return samples to Earth
launched successfully on February 7, 1999 at 21:04:15 UTC
from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Launch Complex 17A
on a Delta II launch vehicle.

On January 2, 2004 STARDUST successfully survived its enounter
with Comet Wild-2, capturing data and cometary particles
to be returned to Earth, along with the previously captured
interstellar particles, in 2006.

The Little Spacecraft That Could
STARDUST Survives Comet Wild-2!

Encounter ~ The Final Trim
"Encounter ~ The Final Trim"

In The Thick Of It
"In The Thick Of It"

 Headin' Home
"Headin' Home"



Extensive research, with particular attention to detail, yields impressive results in the depiction of the beautiful but hazardous environment surrounding Comet Wild-2 as the STARDUST spacecraft goes about its work collecting samples dating from the birth of our solar system to bring home to Earth.

STARDUST Mission Overview
Orbit Trajectory Animation | Higher Resolution Panoramas

Clues From Comets
Exploring Our Solar System's Origins

A presentation by Knight Ridder/Tribune

Ride with the spacecraft. The STARDUST QuickTime VR
 The STARDUST QuickTime VR


These images are copyrighted by the artist and not in the public domain. Excepting granted authorized use by NASA, all other use permissions must be obtained by contacting the artist.
STARDUST is a trademark of
The California Institute of Technology.
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