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Digital Lab Mission Training Be a Spacecraft Engineer

STARDUST's Trajectory

What's the best way for the spacecraft to reach the rendezvous point? Here are three possible trajectories. Click on the best one for STARDUST.

Option A:
Launch: 1999
Trajectory: Direct, to rendezvous with the comet on its closest approach to Earth

 Trajectory Option A
Option B:
Launch: In 2003, when comet is closest to Earth
Trajectory: Direct, to catch up to a rendezvous point. 		Trajectory Option B

Option C:
Launch: 1999
Trajectory: Three orbits around the sun, twice using the Earth's gravity to slingshot the spacecraft to the rendezvous point.		 Trajectory Option C


Spacecraft images copyright 1996-97, California Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Further reproduction prohibited.