Photos Of STARDUST At Kennedy Space Center

No copyright protection is asserted for this photography. If a recognizable person appears in this photograph, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA employees of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. Accordingly, it is requested that if this photograph is used in advertising and other commercial promotion, layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration Clicking on any of the thumbnail images below will bring up a higher resolution version of that image. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, Stardust spacecraft is mated with the third stage of a Boeing Delta II rocket (below). Targeted for launch Feb. 6 from Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Station, aboard the Delta II rocket, the spacecraft is destined for a close encounter with the comet Wild 2 in January 2004. Using a silicon-based substance called aerogel, Stardust will capture comet particles flying off the nucleus of the comet. The spacecraft also will bring back samples of interstellar dust. These materials consist of ancient pre-solar interstellar grains and other remnants left over from the formation of the solar system. Scientists expect their analysis to provide important insights into the evolution of the sun and planets and possibly into the origin of life itself. The collected samples will return to Earth in a sample return capsule to be jettisoned as Stardust swings by Earth in January 2006.
STARDUST Spacecraft Photo Number: KSC-99PC-100 High Resolution JPEG - 892K In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers help guide the overhead crane lifting the Stardust spacecraft. Stardust is being moved in order to mate it with the third stage of a Boeing Delta II rocket.	STARDUST Spacecraft Photo Number: KSC-99PC-101 High Resolution JPEG - 1.3 MB In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers help guide the spacecraft Stardust being lowered in order to mate it with the third stage of a Boeing Delta II rocket.
STARDUST Spacecraft Photo Number: KSC-99PC-102 High Resolution JPEG - 1.3 MB In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers check the mating of the spacecraft Stardust (above) with the third stage of a Boeing Delta II rocket (below).