Stardust (spacecraft)
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Stardust was a 385-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on 7 February 1999. Its primary mission was to collect dust samples from the coma of comet Wild 2, as well as samples of cosmic dust, a
Artist's impression of Stardust collecting dust particles from Comet Wild 2
Stardust awaiting testing of the solar arrays
The solar arrays being checked in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility
Stardust being checked before encapsulation
Atmospheric entry
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Atmospheric entry is the movement of an object from outer space into and through the gases of an atmosphere of a planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite. Atmospheric entry may be uncontrolled entry
Stardust (spacecraft)
…speed within 110 seconds. Peak deceleration was 34 g, encountered 40 seconds into the reentry at an altitude of 55 km over Spring Creek, Nevada. The phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator (PICA) heat shield, produced by Fiber Materials Inc., reached a temperature of more than 2,900 °C during this steep reentry. The capsule then parachuted…
Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell, artistic rendition
Apollo command module flying with the blunt end of the heat shield at a non-zero angle of attack in order to establish a lifting entry and control the landing site (artistic rendition)
Prototype of the Mk-2 Reentry Vehicle (RV), based on blunt body theory
Mk-6 RV, Cold War weapon and ancestor to most of the U.S. missile entry vehicles