Faster than Sound: NASA's Stardust Mission

The Stardust spacecraft, initially part of the Deep Impact mission, embarked on a groundbreaking journey to collect samples from Comet VILD 2. Using innovative aerogel technology, Stardust successfully captured high-speed particles without damaging them. The mission revealed unexpected findings about the comet's surface and origins, challenging previous theories about comets. Stardust's discoveries, including the presence of amino acids, provide insights into the origins of life on Earth. After completing its mission, Stardust contributed to further space exploration efforts.

What was the primary mission of the Stardust spacecraft?

• To collect material from Comet VILD 2

• To explore the surface of Mars

• To photograph the rings of Saturn

• To study the atmosphere of Venus

What was the main challenge in capturing particles from Comet VILD 2?

• Avoiding collision with other spacecraft

• Catching particles moving at high speeds without damaging them

• Navigating through an asteroid belt

• Communicating with Earth from a great distance

What was the initial belief about the origins of comets before the Stardust mission?

• They were created by asteroid collisions

• They originated from other solar systems

• They were formed from the Sun's core

• They were remnants of the Moon

How did scientists plan to confirm the theory about comet origins?

• By studying cometary light emissions

• By analyzing the isotopic composition of comet dust

• By measuring the temperature of comets

• By observing cometary orbits

What material did scientists use to safely capture high-speed particles from comets?

• Carbon fiber

• Aerogel

• Kevlar

• Graphene

What was the purpose of the aerogel collector tray on Stardust?

• To capture solar wind particles

• To collect cometary and interstellar dust

• To measure cosmic radiation

• To photograph distant stars

What unexpected feature was found on the surface of Comet Ville 2?

• Large craters

• Spiky pinnacles and cliffs

• Frozen lakes

• Smooth plains

What did the absence of craters on Comet Ville 2 suggest?

• The surface was made of soft material

• The comet had never been hit by other objects

• The surface was self-renewing or active

• The comet was very young

What was a significant discovery about Comet Ville 2's origin?

• It was a fragment of a larger planet

• It was formed in our own solar system

• It originated from another galaxy

• It was created by a supernova

What amino acid was found in the samples from Comet Ville 2?

• Glycine

• Lysine

• Serine

• Alanine