Stardust Findings May Alter View of Comet Formation

Artist's impression of Stardust's encounter with Comet Wild 2. Scientists believe the material snatched from the trail of a comet could provide dramatic information about the birth of the solar system and the origins of life on Earth. Launched in 1999, the 385-kilogram (849-pound) probe, circled the Sun twice and then flew in January 2004 by comet Wild 2, which was located at the time next to Jupiter. Credit: NASA