PIA03183: Stardust Comet Wild 2 Encounter (Artist's Concept)


Stardust Comet Wild 2 Encounter (Artist’s Concept)

Caption:

Artist's rendering of the Stardust spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched on February 7, 1999, from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, aboard a Delta II rocket. The primary goal of Stardust is to collect dust and carbon-based samples during its closest encounter with Comet Wild 2 -- pronounced "Vilt 2" after the name of its Swiss discoverer.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target 81P/Wild
System Periodic Comets
Target Type Comet
Mission Stardust
Instrument Host Stardust
Host Type Sample Return
Instrument
Detector
Extra Keywords Artwork, Color, Dust
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2005-11-03
Date in Caption 1999-02-07
Image Credit NASA/JPL
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03183
Identifier PIA03183