Returned sample

Wild 2 Sample (Stardust)

Thousands of cometary dust particles captured in aerogel as Stardust flew through the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2, returned in 2006 — the first cometary material and the first sample from beyond the Moon. The grains revealed high-temperature minerals and the amino acid glycine.

Sample facts

Source body: Wild 2
Returned by: Stardust
Analysis: Curated at NASA Johnson Space Center; contains crystalline high-temperature minerals and glycine.

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.