Stardust
About the Mission
Flew through the coma of comet Wild 2 at 6 km per second, catching dust in blocks of aerogel. Returned the first comet samples to Earth in 2006, landing in Utah. Some grains contained material forged in other stars before the Sun existed. Was later extended to fly by comet Tempel 1. Aerogel, the lightest solid, caught particles without destroying them.
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