01.06.2006
Ten days before its historic return to Earth with the first-ever samples
from a comet, NASA's Stardust spacecraft successfully performed its 18th
flight path adjustment. This second-to-last scheduled maneuver puts the
spacecraft on the right path to rendezvous with Earth on Jan. 15
(Universal Time), when it will release its sample return capsule.
At 1800 Universal Time (10:00 am Pacific Time) on Thursday, Jan. 5,
Stardust fired all eight of its thrusters, changing its speed by 2.4 meters
per second (about 5.4 miles per hour). The maneuver required 385 grams
0.85 pounds of hydrazine monopropellant to complete. A final
trajectory correction maneuver is scheduled prior to release of the
sample return capsule.
"It was a textbook maneuver," said Ed Hirst, Stardust deputy mission
manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. "After
sifting through all the post-burn data, I expect we will find ourselves
right on the money."
In the early morning hours of January 15, 2006, the Stardust mission
returns to Earth after a 4.63 billion 2.88 billion mile round-trip journey carrying cometary and interstellar dust particles. Scientists believe Stardust's cargo will
help provide answers to fundamental questions about the origins of the
solar system.
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