What will the Stardust spacecraft be doing while on its way to the comet?
The spacecraft will be collecting interstellar dust samples, using the B-side of the aerogel collector in the mission while traveling to the comet at certain points. Real time interstellar dust analysis will also be conducted with the Cometary and Interstellar Dust Analyzer (CIDA) instrument. There are some planned imaging activities when the spacecraft flies past the Earth and Moon for the gravity assist. For the majority of the cruise to the comet, and after comet encounter, the spacecraft will be in a low power mode that saves energy while ensuring that all thermal environments are maintained.
