Where is Stardust now?

All of Stardust's subsystems are performing normally. The spacecraft is continuing to collect interstellar particles. There was one period of radio contact through JPL's Deep Space Network this week.

Heaters for the Navigation Camera's light-sensing electronics and mirror motor will be turned on for two days to remove a small amount of contamination that has reappeared on the camera. Similar treatments removed past contamination. Performance of the periscope appears to have improved, exhibiting less contamination.

For more information on the Stardust mission -- the first ever comet sample return mission -- please visit the Stardust home page.