Stardust Status Report

March 26, 2004

The Stardust spacecraft remains in excellent condition as its post-encounter trajectory carries it through the solar system's main asteroid belt.

The Stardust team recently released three new images of comet Wild 2. These images depict surface and jet details that have never been seen before.

The Stardust project was presented an award from the Boy Scouts of America San Gabriel Valley Council for the successful Wild 2 encounter and to commemorate the Council's highlighting of Stardust during the National Jamboree. The ceremony was held during a talk by Stardust project manager for the JPL Office of Communication and Education von Karman Lecture Series.

Information on the present position and orbits of the Stardust spacecraft and Comet Wild 2 may be found on the "Where Is Stardust Right Now?" web page located at:

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/scnow.html

For more information on the Stardust mission -- the first ever comet sample return mission -- please visit the Stardust home page:

http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov