ABOVE: A scientist approaches the Stardust return capsule after it parachuted to the ground around 2:10 AM (Pacific Standard Time) this morning. The touchdown occurred at the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.
STARDUST Returns... Congratulations to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena for successfully bringing a space capsule carrying the remains of a malevolent alien species back to Earth. Haha, just kidding! No seriously though— Kudos to the JPL folks for bringing back the first ever material taken from a comet. Launched in 1999, the Stardust spacecraft collected samples from Comet Wild 2 (pronounced "vilt-two"... Those wacky Swiss) in 2004 and spent the rest of that time heading back to Earth. While the Stardust 'mothership' is in a safe permanent orbit around the Sun, the return capsule will be brought back to the Johnson Space Center in Texas this Tuesday so scientists can pry it open and check out the dead alien— err, dust samples collected from the comet. Nice.
ABOVE: A NASA aircraft took this image of the Stardust capsule
re-entering Earth's atmosphere above Utah...at a 'sluggish' speed of
29,000 MPH. Courtesy of NASA'S Jet Propulsion Laboratory
EDIT: Don't forget that the Season 5 premiere of FOX's 24 airs tonight at 8 PM.
EDIT #2: Whoa, those two episodes were intense! C'mon Jack Bauer, avenge President Palmer's death!! And you gotta regulate on those terrorists at Ontario Airport!! Can't wait for the season premiere's conclusion tomorrow... Of course, my Monday nights will officially be off-limits till May now that everyone's favorite Counter-Terrorist Unit agent is back.
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