When was the Stardust spacecraft launched?
Stardust was launched at 21:04:15 UTC on the 7th of February 1999 aboard a Delta II 7426 launch vehicle from Space Launch Complex 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Questions about Stardust (spacecraft)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What did the Stardust mission discover about Comet Wild 2 samples?
Scientists found organic compounds including two with biologically usable nitrogen, abundant amorphous silicates alongside crystalline silicates such as olivine and pyroxene, and glycine an amino acid fundamental chemical building block of life detected in material ejected from Comet Wild 2 captured by Stardust probe.
How fast did the Stardust Sample Return Capsule reenter Earth's atmosphere?
The capsule re-entered Earth's atmosphere at 09:57 UTC with a velocity of 12,860 meters per second marking the fastest reentry speed into Earth's atmosphere ever achieved by a human-made object.
Which comet did the Stardust spacecraft encounter after its primary mission to Wild 2?
Stardust conducted a flyby of Comet Tempel 1 in 2011 under the New Exploration of Tempel 1 or NExT mission extension approved on the 3rd of July 2007.
When was the Stardust mission officially ended?
On the 24th of March 2011 at approximately 23:00 UTC Stardust conducted burn to consume remaining fuel signaling end of operability for spacecraft before sending acknowledgement from approximately 240 million kilometers away in space.