Stardust mission

The Stardust Mission, launched by NASA in 1999, aimed to collect and study dust particles from the Comet Wild 2 and samples from interstellar space. It successfully gathered comet dust during a flyby in 2004 and returned the samples to Earth in 2006. This mission provided valuable insights into the early solar system, helping scientists understand the materials that formed planets and the origins of comets. Stardust's innovative techniques and findings have furthered our knowledge of cosmic processes and the chemistry of life, making it a significant achievement in planetary science.