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Stardust Apparently Successful 245

Posted by michael on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:06PM from the three-years-till-we-really-find-out dept.

Naomi_the_butterfly writes "The Stardust mission, a craft launched in February 1999, just concluded its encounter with comet Wild 2 at 11:40:35 am PST. The encounter went without a hitch, with about 72 images taken and comet coma (tail) dust collected! The first images will be downloaded to JPL over between 1:30 and 2:30 pm, in time for a press conference at 3:00 pm PST. Today a comet, tomorrow Mars!" Space.com has a picture taken by the spacecraft.

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Stardust Apparently Successful

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Ha! In your face, Beagle 2! (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes:

Oops, I was going to use that line when we landed on Mars.
- Re:Ha! In your face, Beagle 2! (Score:3, Interesting)
  
  by jangell ( 633044 ) writes:
  
  It's big news because like someone else said, they're the first samples we've ever gotten that didn't come from the moon, and aren't inter-planetary dust particles. Plus, they're actually -returned- to earth, and not just measured/observed like all the other previous satelites have done. Wild 2 is presumed to be composed of the same substances that were present at the begining of the universe, and will contribute to a better understanding of how everything was back then. Since it's mostly just a dirty snowb
And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:4, Funny)

by SaDan ( 81097 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:12PM (#7864893) Homepage

They spent HOW much to only get THAT little bit of TAIL?

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- Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:3, Insightful)
  
  by wb8wsf ( 106309 ) writes:
  
  Space exploration can be expensive. Thats the nature of the game.
  
  But the rewards from the information that little teaspoon of starstuff might contain, well, thats beyond measure. You can't put a price tag on how valuable that is.
  - Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:3, Funny)
    
    by Saeger ( 456549 ) writes:
    
    Hey, *I'M* made of stardust, right? You're saying I'm priceless?
    --
    - Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:3, Funny)
      
      by Anonymous Coward writes:
      
      *I'M* made of stardust
      
      Well, that and recycled dinosaur waste!
    - Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2)
      
      by Mad Marlin ( 96929 ) writes:
      
      Hey, *I'M* made of stardust, right? You're saying I'm priceless?
      Well, you probably weigh at least 75kg, that much stardust would have a really high street value.
      - Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2)
        
        by MuParadigm ( 687680 ) writes:
        
        One word: snort.
- Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:4, Funny)
  
  by nexex ( 256614 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:24PM (#7864957) Homepage
  
  man if all they wanted were pictures of some tail, you can get plenty of that on the net for free
  
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- Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2, Insightful)
  
  by starfurynz ( 676822 ) writes:
  
  And what would happen if it came back with bacteria on it? Wouldd you spin around and say it was money well spent?
- - Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2)
    
    by Compuser ( 14899 ) writes:
    
    EU is a bit weak right now after Beagle but I am
    not sure whatcha talking about the Chinese. They
    just had a major success and look to be OK.
Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:2, Insightful)

by larry bagina ( 561269 ) writes:

Actually, yesterday mars. As in, the Europeans and the Beagle. Or the Japanase probe from a couple months ago.
Landing a probe on Mars is easy. getting it to communicate after it's done so is not so easy.
- Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:2, Funny)
  
  by SaDan ( 81097 ) writes:
  
  Yeah, it's the small things that make the difference with those Mars probes. Like landing, oh, say... upright? Pointing in the right direction? In one piece?
- Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:3, Interesting)
  
  by Naffer ( 720686 ) writes:
  
  I can't imagine working on one of those missions. It must be imensely frustrating to pour your time and effort into a prove that you have no ability to help once it attempts to land. Nasa (and various other space agencies) seem to be pretty good at getting probes to Mars, but landing them safely and intact seems to be mostly beyond our abilities.
  
  Would It be impossible to equip the "mothership" that stays in orbit while the probes are launched with a camera capable of a (relatively) realtime video stre
  - Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:4, Insightful)
    
    by jdhutchins ( 559010 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:31PM (#7864997)
    
    A 'mothership' in orbit could take real-time video. The problem is the speed of light. It'd take the light at least 5min to get here, and then when we send something back, it'd take another 5min. So by the time we tell it "this way a little", it's already landed (the craft has landed, the question is where and how many pieces)
    
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    - Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:5, Funny)
      
      by Naffer ( 720686 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:48PM (#7865060) Journal
      
      I got bored, googled the distance to be an average of 48 million miles. Converted 3e8 m/s to 671,080,888 mph (also used google. I love that site) and did the math to equal 4.29 minutes!
      I'm amazed that you just happened to have that 5 minute number memorized. Do you think if we put a carbon fiber hood and an aluminum wing on light it would go even faster?
      
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      - Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:5, Funny)
        
        by darc ( 532156 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @10:12PM (#7865164) Journal
        
        No, but I bet it would go faster if you gave it a Type-R sticker and an exhast the size of a cantalopue.
        
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        Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:4, Funny)
        
        by Lord Ender ( 156273 ) writes: on Saturday January 03, 2004 @02:30AM (#7865974) Homepage
        
        ... and multi-colored LEDs on the fans and a plexiglass window...
        
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      - Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:2)
        
        by Wumpus ( 9548 ) writes:
        
        Do you think if we put a carbon fiber hood and an aluminum wing on light it would go even faster?
        
        Don't be silly. You'll need a Type R sticker for that.
    - Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:3, Informative)
      
      by CrowScape ( 659629 ) writes:
      
      The grandparent's post was not about issuing in-flight corrections, but rather being able to know what went wrong so that future missions will not make the same mistake.
  - Telemetry (Score:2)
    
    by Detritus ( 11846 ) writes:
    
    What's needed isn't video from the orbiter, but telemetry from the probe via an RF link. That will provide far more information than a video feed.
    Launch vehicles and satellites have sophisticated telemetry systems that collect a wide variety of information from on-board sensors and systems. This information is often crucial in diagnosing faults and failures, since physical evidence is usually unavailable.
    The problem is that there has to be a satellite tracking ground station, or special satellite with s
Innovative Technology (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes:

To protect Stardust against the blast of expected cometary particles and rocks, the spacecraft rotated so it was flying in the shadow of its "Whipple Shields"

Please don't squeeze the Charmin!
Images (Score:5, Informative)

by deglr6328 ( 150198 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:17PM (#7864928)

Images of the enounter may be found here [spaceflightnow.com] along with live updated status reports here [spaceflightnow.com]. Looking closely at the overexposed image on the bottom of the first page you can actually make out vapor jets emanating from the surface of Wild produced by the vaporizing ice and dust heated by the sun.

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finaly!! (Score:5, Informative)

by crabpeople ( 720852 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:19PM (#7864936) Journal

why use video when you can use......

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/news/040102a.gif [nasa.gov]

ANIMATED GIFS!
seriously thats like the longest one ive ever seen. i could only get as far as the guy in the blue shirt and the old people in congress.

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- - Re:finaly!! (Score:3, Informative)
    
    by jim3e8 ( 458859 ) writes:
    
    NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day [nasa.gov] archive.
    - Re:finaly!! (Score:2)
      
      by Josh Booth ( 588074 ) writes:
      
      I personally like this one [nasa.gov] ;-)
      
      it could be perceived as a superhero flying through a cloud, arm up, with a saved person in tow below
      
      Yeah, sure.
      - Re:finaly!! (Score:3, Funny)
        
        by ShortSpecialBus ( 236232 ) writes:
        
        I have always interpreted that one as the Universe giving us the finger.
  - Re:finaly!! (Score:2)
    
    by Feztaa ( 633745 ) writes:
    
    Although I agree with you, did you want your tax dollars to be spent on space exploration, or bandwidth costs? :)
"Apparently"? (Score:5, Funny)

by revividus ( 643168 ) writes: <phil@crissman.gmail@com> on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:27PM (#7864970) Homepage

Stardust Apparently Successful... The encounter went without a hitch, with about 72 images taken and comet coma (tail) dust collected! The first images will be downloaded to JPL over between 1:30 and 2:30 pm
Apparently? It returned pictures, but was only apparently successful?
Are we suggesting that the Stardust mission was faked, like the [8m.com] moon [apfn.org] landing? [primeline-america.com]
Shocking. Will the lies never stop? Even more damning evidence found here [uiuc.edu].

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- Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)
  
  by Bytal ( 594494 ) writes:
  
  I really love this part from one of those sites [ http://www.apfn.org/apfn/moon.htm ]:)
  
  The questions don't stop there. Outer space is awash with deadly radiation that emanates from solar flares firing out from the sun. Standard astronauts orbiting earth in near space, like those who recently fixed the Hubble telescope, are protected by the earth's Van Allen belt. But the Moon is to 240,000 miles distant, way outside this safe band. And, during the Apollo flights, astronomical data shows there were no les
  - Re:"Apparently"? (Score:3, Informative)
    
    by Wumpus ( 9548 ) writes:
    
    really shows the author's knowledge of Soviet safety protocols.
    
    Or his knowledge of the history of the Apollo program, for that matter. At least one astronaut, Jack Swigert, of the notoriously broken Apollo 13, died of cancer.
    
    Note to self: Don't use conspiracy nuts as fact finders.
    - Re:"Apparently"? (Score:3, Funny)
      
      by __aatgod8309 ( 598427 ) writes:
      
      But you can usually use amusing conspiracies as nut finders...
      - Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)
        
        by Wumpus ( 9548 ) writes:
        
        That's one thing I never needed help in finding.
        
        Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)
        
        by Wumpus ( 9548 ) writes:
        
        I'm not that flexible.
- Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)
  
  by Hard_Code ( 49548 ) writes:
  
  Or even more shocking... what if they FAKED the failed Mars missions... the missions to mars really were successful, and were powered by secret Scientology paraphernalia and immortality bracelets (not to mention the coral calcium)!
  
  What if they FAKED the FAKED moon landing?!
  
  Or maybe I need to lay off the special brownies...
- Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)
  
  by Galvatron ( 115029 ) writes:
  
  No, I think we're just suggesting that we can't REALLY be certain that dust has been collected (and that contamination has been avoided) until we get the probe back to Earth.
- Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  the pics were a bonus, it still needs to bring the samples back to earth, but that should be the 'easy' part. still, you never know. That's why I wrote 'apparently'.
Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:5, Interesting)

by Bowie J. Poag ( 16898 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:39PM (#7865024) Homepage

It's kewl. :)

Have a look:

Approximated 3D stereoscopic view of the comet [ibiblio.org]

The fact that the comet was photographed from two slightly different angles makes it possible to create a stereoscopic view of the object. I enhanced the left-hand image a little bit to help bring out the depth of the object. The original image is way too washed out to make it a good fit.

In order to view it, sit squarely infront of your monitor at a distance of a few feet, cross your eyes gently, and try to merge both sides of the images into a "single image" in the center. If you're having trouble, try using the two red birds as a visual guide. Once the birds overlap, the rest of the picture will as well.

Ahhhh, I love stereoscopy. :)

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- Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)
  
  by Angry Toad ( 314562 ) writes:
  
  Damn fine idea - wish I'd thought of it. That being said I'm still trying to make it work...
  - Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:3, Interesting)
    
    by Bowie J. Poag ( 16898 ) writes:
    
    I do tons of this stuff for a hobby. Even TV programs...When the camera is mounted on a dolly, you can reconstruct the shot in 3D and see if the set is fake or real. :)
    
    Here's some of my stuff:
    
    My Stereo 3D photos [ibiblio.org]
    
    Here's an easy one for beginners:
    
    The dashboard of my old Mazda 323 [ibiblio.org]
    
    Cheers,
    - - Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)
        
        by Bowie J. Poag ( 16898 ) writes:
        
        Check this directory in a few minutes:
        
        http://www.ibiblio.org/propaganda/stereotv
        
        BTW, one of them is of a porno pic. not worksafe. be careful. :)
    - - Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)
        
        by Bowie J. Poag ( 16898 ) writes:
        
        Believe it or not, it can be done.. And yes, even with goatse.
        
        Stereo 3D wallpaper!/a ...Synthetically-produced depth. I can take any flat 2D image, and add an extra dimension to it stereoscopically. With ease. [ibiblio.org]
- Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:3, Informative)
  
  by Xzzy ( 111297 ) writes:
  
  I think you set the two images too far apart, I have trouble "locking" the two images into the third ghost image in the middle.
  
  Bring 'em closer an inch or so and it's much easier.
  - Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)
    
    by WoTG ( 610710 ) writes:
    
    Yeah, same here. The easy fix was to adjust the horizontal and vertical "size" using the monitor. (I suppose upping the screen resolution would have worked too). Even then, I couldn't see it for more than a couple seconds. Good stuff though!
I was there (Score:5, Interesting)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:57PM (#7865096)

It's big news because like someone else said, they're the first samples we've ever gotten that didn't come from the moon, and aren't inter-planetary dust particles. Plus, they're actually -returned- to earth, and not just measured/observed like all the other previous satelites have done. Wild 2 is presumed to be composed of the same substances that were present at the begining of the universe, and will contribute to a better understanding of how everything was back then. Since it's mostly just a dirty snowball floating in space, it's presumed to have been relatively unchanged for billions of years. The scientists will go wild over actual samples of particles that are this old.

What's also cool, is that the same stunt helicopter guys that they used in the matrix will be the ones that snag the returning samples's capsule/heatshield out of the air over utah.

My dad is the V.P. of Civil Space at lockheed martin (this project was under his management), so the family and I got to go and watch the final approach and the turning of the satelite (not that we could see anything other than people at workstations at JPL and Waterton) and see the first images. It was kinda neat to see all the scientists at JPL get excited that they were receiving data. And cooler to see the engineers here in Denver breathe a sigh of relief that it worked, and that it didn't get nailed by a rock going 36,000 miles an hour.

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- Re:I was there (Score:2)
  
  by MrWa ( 144753 ) writes:
  
  My dad is the V.P. of Civil Space at lockheed martin (this project was under his management), so the family and I got to go and watch the final approach and the turning of the satelite (not that we could see anything other than people at workstations at JPL and Waterton) and see the first images.
  
  So much for being an Anonymous Coward, eh?
congratulations! (Score:2, Insightful)

by the man with the pla ( 710711 ) writes:

just wanted to say a quick congrats to all the hard working people at nasa. keep up the good work.
Are we prepared? (Score:4, Funny)

by egg troll ( 515396 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @10:12PM (#7865165) Homepage Journal

Just for safety I hope NASA has a clean room containing an old drunk and a crying baby. They'll be our only hope if there's any space-born virus brought back!

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- Re:Are we prepared? (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  See this [planetary.org] for a rundown on NASA's Astromaterials Lab, with an interview of it's head.
"...Today a comet, tomorrow Mars!" (Score:5, Funny)

by DragonWyatt ( 62035 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @10:19PM (#7865196) Homepage

You're forgetting one key fact-

There are no Martians on comets, so there was no one to shoot this one down.

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- Re:"...Today a comet, tomorrow Mars!" (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  My point when I wrote that, obviously, is that on January 2nd we had the Wild 2 encounter performed spectacularly by Stardust. January 3rd, Spirit lands on Mars. I'm HOPING that was a joke, as it probably was. In fact I feel dumb for replying like this. Oh well!
Nice PHP Script! (Score:2, Funny)

by Raspberry ( 18668 ) writes:

Who did space.com pay to put the caption right in the URL?!

I like this caption to the WILD2 photo over the original:

http://space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img _d isplay.php?pic=h_wild2-comet_02.jpg&cap=Your%20Bal ls%20Are%20Filthy%20---%20Go%20Wash%20Them%20Beavi s
- Re:Nice XSS Hole! (Score:2)
  
  by Leeji ( 521631 ) writes:
  
  When will this industry ever learn?
  
  http://space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img _d isplay.php?pic=h_wild2-comet_02.jpg&cap=<script>al ert('Dirty XSS Balls')</script>
  (Don't forget to delete the spaces)
  
  Damn.
Pretty cool but... (Score:3, Interesting)

by vudufixit ( 581911 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @10:37PM (#7865263)

I'm also looking forward to Deep Impact, a mission in which a NASA probe will shoot a large copper projectile into a comet, and observe the various ejecta that result.

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- Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by Stinking Pig ( 45860 ) writes:
  
  will Jerry Bruckheimer be inside the projectile? Because that would be poetic justice, really.
- Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  Not a copper projectile... a second, steerable craft! I believe it launches this coming year. Also, it'll be examining the crater and it's formation. anything ejected will be all but vaporized.
  - - Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)
      
      by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
      
      We're always right. About time you (straight) men faced that you'll never ever EVER beat a lesbian. We've got masculinity and femininity. Beat that, straight men!
      Lesbians of Slashdot UNITE!
      - Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)
        
        by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
        
        That may be my most rediculous and offtopic posting yet. still true, though!
        
        Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)
        
        by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
        
        Outing myself to /. mods for extra pointage? :D it's all good!
        
        Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)
        
        by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
        
        Anyway, hon, go to www.planetary.org/radio/ if this stuff interests you. listen in order, instead of 'cool titles first'. Enjoy, and post back about how much you love it to make me happy!
- - Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)
    
    by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
    
    That may very well be the most imbecellic post I have ever read on /.
So how soon till the fist picture is posted here? (Score:2)

by SensitiveMale ( 155605 ) writes:

http://www.mobileasses.com/display.php

And what rating will it get?
Face On Comet (Score:2, Funny)

by BinBoy ( 164798 ) writes:

It looks surprised to see the spacecraft.

o o
O
Message from the aliens: (Score:2)

by Alethes ( 533985 ) writes:

Aliens have left us a message in the image caption. [space.com] Be afraid.

Yeah, I know...lame joke. *sigh*
- Re:Message from the aliens: (Score:2)
  
  by Kronovohr ( 145646 ) writes:
  
  it's vulnerable to XSS [space.com] exploitation as well...hrmmm.. (just pops an alert() saying "test")
Project SCOOP is a success!! (Score:4, Funny)

by freeze128 ( 544774 ) writes: on Saturday January 03, 2004 @12:28AM (#7865616)

Can anyone say Andromeda Strain?

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Did you ever stop to think about it? (Score:4, Insightful)

by HangingChad ( 677530 ) writes: on Saturday January 03, 2004 @12:40AM (#7865665) Homepage

About what it takes to launch a spacecraft and guide it to a rendezvous with a chunk of ice billions of miles out in space and get it back again. Brilliant!
I'm being serious. That's absolutely fucking amazing. How they know where the comet is going to be in space at a particular time and get another object going over 13,000 miles an hour to pass through its tail and snap pictures from a mere 200 miles away and all that by remote control when it takes an hour for instructions to get to the craft. Astounding. The shit we take for granted.

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- Re:Did you ever stop to think about it? (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  You think that's amazing? it's on its way back on autopilot, and will parachute down in a one square mile field in a military base in Utah. now that's amazing.
Damnit! (Score:2)

by dasunt ( 249686 ) writes:

I was all set for a short John Carter fiction peice about the disappearance of Stardust.

So, of course, this is one probe that's successful!

Damnit! Sure, Stardust is worth the millions NASA spent, but I lost a few +1 Funny mod points!
Aerogel (Score:2, Informative)

by Badboy Recovered ( 736353 ) writes:

for those of you who have never heard of it, google it. by far one of the more interesting things i learned from reading about this mission.
- Re:Aerogel (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  Aerogel has existed since the 1930's. Unmanned spaceflight, however, give it its first REALLY useful application, and it has been used many times since then.
I'm a little surprised (Score:2)

by NanoGator ( 522640 ) writes:

The comet image [space.com] looks a lot like the comet in the intro to Deep Space Nine. (Coincidently, there's a banner ad for DS9 on DVD...)
- Re:I'm a little surprised (Score:2)
  
  by Lispy ( 136512 ) writes:
  
  Those pics are supposed to be highres? Come on! ;-)
Vietnam Memorial Names Aboard (Score:5, Informative)

by Elonka ( 710689 ) writes: on Saturday January 03, 2004 @02:56AM (#7866012) Homepage Journal

A little-known fact is that this probe is also carrying a chip which contains all of the names [nasa.gov] from the Vietnam War Memorial in DC.
The idea that the names of those fallen soldiers are mixing with stardust today, has been giving me a warm fuzzy feeling. :)

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Err... (Score:2)

by cperciva ( 102828 ) writes:

Today a comet, tomorrow Mars!

Today, a space probe ran into a comet.

NASA has been sending space probes *into* Mars for quite a long time...
To all those who say this mission was unnecessary (Score:5, Insightful)

by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes: on Saturday January 03, 2004 @06:21AM (#7866436)

This mission has gathered leftover dust that has been frozen inside a comet, held in the most pristine conditions, for billions of years. You and I are made of this stuff, dust from the explosions of nearby first generation stars (ours is a second or third). This is basically a way to look back in time to when our solar system was just forming.
on another note, an article of mine got posted! woohoo!

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- Re:This has been done before (Score:5, Insightful)
  
  by dreamchaser ( 49529 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:13PM (#7864898) Homepage Journal
  
  What is innovative? They are returning samples to Earth, the first time any automated probe has done that and the only material gathered direct from the source since the Moon landings!
  
  I think I just bit on a troll...
  
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  - Re:This has been done before (Score:2, Funny)
    
    by ackthpt ( 218170 ) writes:
    
    They are returning samples to Earth,
    Hello Andromeda Strain!
  - - Re:This has been done before (Score:2, Informative)
      
      by MissP ( 728641 ) writes:
      
      The Russians brought back samples from the moon 3 times between 1970 and 1976 (and, um, how could it have been anything BUT automated?). The first was the Luna 16 mission: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog? sc=1970-072A
      - Cool, reusable tech in Stardust probe (Score:3, Informative)
        
        by PGillingwater ( 72739 ) writes:
        
        There's a nice PDF link [nasa.gov] which gives some excellent background on the Stardust mission.
        
        Some points of interest for /.ers:
        
        1) They use Aerogel [slashdot.org] to collect the dust for return
        2) The Dust Analyzer was based on a design used for the ESA's Giotto probe [nasa.gov]
        3) The navigation camera used was left-over from the Voyager mission of 1977, combined with a left-over sensor head from the Gallileo mission launched in 1989
        4) The CPU is a hardened version of the Macintosh PowerPC chip, known as the RAD6000, which runs at between
- Re:This has been done before (Score:2)
  
  by ZigMonty ( 524212 ) writes:
  
  Ah, so the only thing of importance is what propulsion system it uses? This the first sample return mission attempted that has a target other than the moon. It is quite innovative.
- Re:This has been done before (Score:4, Insightful)
  
  by Anonymous Coward writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:17PM (#7864921)
  
  Sorry but I do think that these days, anything related to "space" and "success" is slashdot worthy ;-)
  
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- Re:This has been done before (Score:2, Interesting)
  
  by dev_alac ( 536560 ) writes:
  
  The mission is important due to the sample return. There is no Solar Electric propulsion according to the mission website [nasa.gov], it was performed by a standard monopropellant.
  Perhaps you are thinking of the SMART-1 [esa.int] mission?
- Re:Sooo... (Score:2)
  
  by baryon351 ( 626717 ) writes:
  
  That dust is coming back to earth in 2006. That's a first.
- Re:Sooo... (Score:2)
  
  by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
  
  All those pics were for navigation, and were a bonus (might as well use the camera if it's there). The craft is set to release a capsule in ~2 years which will land in utah, containing actuall comet dust. beat that!
- Re:Call a spade a spade (Score:5, Funny)
  
  by zjbs14 ( 549864 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @09:44PM (#7865041) Homepage
  
  Astronomy may not be rocket science, but I still want to know who the genius is who decided to name a comet's tail a "coma". And who were the people who went along with this brilliant idea? OK, fine, coma is Latin for hair.
  
  You mean the people hundreds of years ago that wrote scientific papers in Latin?
  
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- Re:Call a spade a spade (Score:5, Informative)
  
  by kjd ( 41294 ) writes: on Friday January 02, 2004 @10:12PM (#7865169)
  
  You question 'coma' but not the word 'comet' itself?
  
  Comet comes from the Greek 'kometes' which means 'the hairy one' (according to Google). So naturally they used 'coma' to describe the 'hair'.
  
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- Re:This is so immense (Score:2)
  
  by poopie ( 35416 ) writes:
  
  .... but will they be able to bring it back to earth? I know that the mars missions have not been allowed to bring back any samples for fear of contaminating the earth with foreign "stuff"
  
  To heck with the thought that our spaceships and satellites might be contaminating other planets, I suppose
  - Re:This is so immense (Score:2)
    
    by Fancia ( 710007 ) writes:
    
    Actually, scientists do seem to care about that. There was worry that the Galileo spacecraft might contaminate Europa, which may have life, so it was crashed into Jupiter, which doesn't.
    - Re:This is so immense (Score:2)
      
      by __aatgod8309 ( 598427 ) writes:
      
      There was worry that the Galileo spacecraft might contaminate Europa, which may have life, so it was crashed into Jupiter, which doesn't. ...that we know of.
  - Re:This is so immense (Score:2)
    
    by jridley ( 9305 ) writes:
    
    There is a Mars sample return mission getting ready. They haven't done it yet because it's HARD.
- - Re:meteorites (Score:2)
    
    by Naomi_the_butterfly ( 707218 ) writes:
    
    1. meteorites have gone through some major impacts with others, etc. comets are better preserved.
    2. contamination of impact objects.
- Re:Stardust Schmardust... (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by InfiniteWisdom ( 530090 ) writes:
  
  or crash 'n burn like the beagle.
  Beagle burned? This is BIG. There're Oxygen in mars's atmosphere! Thoe bloody aliens have obviously been jamming our spectrometers all this time.
  - Re:Stardust Schmardust... (Score:2)
    
    by gaijin99 ( 143693 ) writes:
    
    Beagle burned? This is BIG. There're Oxygen in mars's atmosphere!
    
    Um, yes, there is. About .13% according to NASA [nasa.gov] Not to mention all the oxygen locked up in the 95% or so carbon *dioxide* that makes up the bulk of the atmosphere. Not a lot of oxygen I'll grant you, but free oxygen none the less. It'll make colonization a lot easier.
- Re:Nerds chase tail, film at eleven (Score:2)
  
  by Basehart ( 633304 ) writes:
  
  Just take a few extra moments, if you haven't already, to really look at the image [nasa.gov], and realize this is one of the objects of wonderment that has been gazed upon by our ancestors, all the way back to the beginning of our history. And now it's right there in a close-up photo.
  
  It really is amazing that we can not only see what that old thing really looks like, but also get to check out the stuff it's made from when the spacecraft gets back here in a couple of years.
  
  Truly awesome.
- - Re:Nerds chase tail, film at eleven (Score:2)
    
    by uberdave ( 526529 ) writes:
    
    I think the ultimate space hack was the stuff they needed to do to get Apollo 13 home.
- Re:Meanwhile, here on earth.... (Score:3, Insightful)
  
  by Bill, Shooter of Bul ( 629286 ) writes:
  
  To correctly allocate resoucres is to know with 100% confidence the outcome of every possible allocation. How many people die of starvation while we try to solve aids? How many people die in car accidents when we try top solve cancer? Only with a godlike timeless perspective can you or anyone judgbe the allocation of resources and defintly state wheather we made good choices or bad. what if our investment in space technlology pays off big as we are able to divert an extinction causing comet from smashing i
- Re:Meanwhile, here on earth.... (Score:3, Insightful)
  
  by Zibblsnrt ( 125875 ) writes:
  
  Thousands died while science looked to the stars.
  Something which, of course, would immediately stop if we'd just abandon all pretenses to advancement and go back to the trees, I suppose.
  Tens of thousands died in the industrialization process that got you probably just about everything in your home right now. I don't see you whining about how that wasn't worth it.
  To create the conditions that bolstered the technologies that are allowing you to post this myopic, Luddite bullshit on Slashdot right now,
  - Incidentally, Matt, m'boy... (Score:2)
    
    by Zibblsnrt ( 125875 ) writes:
    
    If you're going to take issue with something I say, you will take issue with it here rather than try to pick a fight with me in AIM. I know you're standing on shaky ground at best, but one of the points of slashdot is public discussion. If you can't take the heat...
    - - Great pissing contest so far, keep it going, lads (Score:3)
        
        by leonbrooks ( 8043 ) writes:
        
        I side with Z, except on the point of NASA's efficiency. NASA's middle name is "Efficiency", but sadly their first name is "Lacks".
        
        Giving mankind any firm target for research is a win, because otherwise we'd never get off our collective asses to achieve anything that didn't produce an immediate profit. Welcome to Human Nature 101.
        
        If you take an Atheistic viewpoint, that would be bad because the first sizeable rock to come and kiss us means the end of all sapient life on Earth. If you take a concensus reli

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Ha! In your face, Beagle 2! (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Ha! In your face, Beagle 2! (Score:3, Interesting)

And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:4, Funny)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:3, Insightful)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:4, Funny)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2, Insightful)

Re:And NASA wonders why their funding gets cut... (Score:2)

Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:2, Insightful)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:3, Interesting)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:4, Insightful)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:2)

Re:Today a comet, tomorrow Mars (Score:3, Informative)

Telemetry (Score:2)

Innovative Technology (Score:2, Funny)

Images (Score:5, Informative)

finaly!! (Score:5, Informative)

Re:finaly!! (Score:3, Informative)

Re:finaly!! (Score:2)

Re:finaly!! (Score:3, Funny)

Re:finaly!! (Score:2)

"Apparently"? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:3, Informative)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)

Re:"Apparently"? (Score:2)

Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:5, Interesting)

Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)

Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:3, Interesting)

Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)

Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)

Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:3, Informative)

Re:Wanna see what this sucker looks like in 3D? (Score:2)

I was there (Score:5, Interesting)

Re:I was there (Score:2)

congratulations! (Score:2, Insightful)

Are we prepared? (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Are we prepared? (Score:2)

"...Today a comet, tomorrow Mars!" (Score:5, Funny)

Re:"...Today a comet, tomorrow Mars!" (Score:2)

Nice PHP Script! (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Nice XSS Hole! (Score:2)

Pretty cool but... (Score:3, Interesting)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)

Re:Pretty cool but... (Score:2)

So how soon till the fist picture is posted here? (Score:2)

Face On Comet (Score:2, Funny)

Message from the aliens: (Score:2)

Re:Message from the aliens: (Score:2)

Project SCOOP is a success!! (Score:4, Funny)

Did you ever stop to think about it? (Score:4, Insightful)

Re:Did you ever stop to think about it? (Score:2)

Damnit! (Score:2)

Aerogel (Score:2, Informative)

Re:Aerogel (Score:2)

I'm a little surprised (Score:2)

Re:I'm a little surprised (Score:2)

Vietnam Memorial Names Aboard (Score:5, Informative)

Err... (Score:2)

To all those who say this mission was unnecessary (Score:5, Insightful)

Re:This has been done before (Score:5, Insightful)

Re:This has been done before (Score:2, Funny)

Re:This has been done before (Score:2, Informative)

Cool, reusable tech in Stardust probe (Score:3, Informative)