Delivering Earth's First Comet

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Image: Artists concept of sample return capsule. Image credit: NASAJPL
Image: Artist's concept of sample return capsule. Image credit: NASA/JPL

Stardust's voyage in space is near its end, but its cargo - the world's first cometary and interstellar dust samples - has begun its two year journey on Earth, which ends on a cold early morning on the floor of a frozen dry lakebed.


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All News summaries from Space & Earth science news
All News summaries for December 28, 2005

Low voltage current to stimulate growth of coral off South Florida coast

10 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
The thunderclaps and lightning flashes of Victor Frankenstein's laboratory seem far removed from the sunshine, hotels and snorkelers of the South Florida coast. But the town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is pursuing the dream ...

Future of flagship Mars mission up in the air

10 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
(AP) -- Will NASA's flagship mission to Mars fly next year? The space agency could decide as early as Friday whether to cancel, delay or proceed with plans to launch a nuclear-powered, SUV-size rover to the red planet.

As Colorado Heats Up, Water Supply Expected to Be at Risk, Says New Study

10 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
(PhysOrg.com) -- Water resource managers may have to prepare for a warmer Colorado and a shift in the timing of runoff in most of the state's river basins, according to a new assessment of Colorado climate ...

CoRoT discovery challenges the definition of extra-solar planets

12 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
(PhysOrg.com) -- The CoRoT satellite has discovered a planet-sized object so exotic that astronomers are unsure whether to call it a planet. The object, named CoRoT-Exo-3b, is approximately the same size as ...

MESSENGER Returns Images from Oct. 6 Mercury Fly-By

12 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
MESSENGER is the first mission sent to orbit the planet closest to the sun. On Oct. 6, 2008, at roughly 4:40 a.m. ET, MESSENGER flew by Mercury for the second time this year. During the encounter, the probe ...