This NASA probe had its Valentine's Day plans set well in advance. On February 14 at 11:37 p.m. eastern time, the Stardust-NExT spacecraft will swoop past the comet Tempel 1 to snap photos and collect data about this solar system wanderer. The probe will pass just 124 miles from Tempel 1. Tempel 1 is of particular interest because another probe has dallied with it in the past: In 2005, NASA's Deep Impact probe approached and fired an 800-pound impactor at the comet's surface to study its composition. While that mission was a success, the dust kicked up from the crash prevented the Deep Impact probe from getting a good look at the crater created. By sending Stardust-NExT along now, researchers can finally get a good look at the crater. And that's not all they'll be looking at.
Since the 2005 impact, the comet has passed closer to the sun and then headed out to the orbit of Jupiter, before heading back for another visit to the inner solar system. The team hopes to see not only the size of the crater plowed by the 2005 impact, but also to see how a close pass by the sun resurfaces a comet. "We're going to find out a lot about how comets evolve," says Stardust-NExT co-investigator Steve Chesley. [USA Today]
