A Detailed 1/26 Scale
Model That You Can Download and Build
You've read all about Stardust on these web pages.
Now, here's a really good way to learn all about
the spacecraft... Build one!
This free model is designed for anyone who wishes
to learn more about the Stardust Spacecraft, although
it is probably not appropriate for children less
than about ten years of age to build unassisted.
It has all of Stardust's major components, and
shows both its scientific instruments. You'll
see first hand how the spacecraft shields itself
from fast-flying comet debris. That's an assembled
one in the photograph on the right.
 Stardust,
like all interplanetary spacecraft, was designed
for high structural strength, minimizing mass.
That makes it possible to reproduce its mechanical
design with remarkably good fidelity, using only
paper! The image at right shows the paper model
assembled from pages which you can download. Its
scale is about 1/26.
You can go ahead and download the Stardust Scale
Model right now. The parts are contained in a
"Portable Document Format" (pdf) file,
which you can read using the Adobe Acrobat
Reader software. If you don't have
it, you can download the Acrobat Reader software
now from Adobe, free of charge.
Here's how it works:
First browse the illustrated Assembly Instructions.
Read through them to see if this project is going
to be right for you. If you decide to continue,
then...
Next, print the Parts file using your black &
white printer, onto card stock. Cut out the parts,
fold and glue according to the instructions, and
you'll have an accurate scale model of the Stardust
Spacecraft. Most of the parts can be cut out using
scissors, but in some places for best results,
a sharp art knife should be used. This, of course,
requires close adult supervision if a child is
working on it. Regular white glue is recommended.
The pages are designed to be printed on 8.5x11-inch
sheets, or A4 size sheets.
This model not by any means a quick and easy assembly
job; it's serious model building. It offers an
opportunity to spend a good amount of quiet time
learning all about Stardust. Probably four hours
would be a minimum assembly time.
We invite you to build
and enjoy your own educational Stardust model!
Here's everything you need...
+ Assembly
Instructions
+ Parts.pdf
- All the parts are contained in this 3-page file.
+ Acrobat
Reader - The software for reading all
".pdf" files (in case you don't have
it already)
Model design by Dave Doody
An afterhours project. No tax dollars were harmed
in the making of this model :-)
8 August, 1999
Copyright (C) 1999 Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology. All rights
reserved. Permission for commercial reproduction
other than for single-school in-classroom use
must be obtained from JPL
Commercial Programs Office. |
