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STARDUST Update - June 26, 1998


                           STARDUST Status Report
                                June 26, 1998
                                 Ken Atkins
                          STARDUST Project Manager

Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO) activities: Spacecraft
Performance Tests (SPT #1) with the flight Command Data Handling (C&DH) and
Power Control Assembly (PCA) boxes was successfully completed in less time
than planned. Additional work in preparation of the flight system for
environmental test was completed as planned.

Gradient-density aerogel was successfully qualified through vibration and
shock testing and post-test analysis. "Gradient-density" defines the
continuously increasing density of the aerogel from the impact face of the
tile to the back face. Low-density at the impact face is desired to provide
a "softer" first contact with any "fluffy," or more-fragile, dust particles.
The greater density of the material deeper in the tile adds stopping power
and keeps required tile thickness to a minimum. Test capture-firings of
particles are scheduled to define the detailed capture characteristics.
Gradient differs from "graded" in that the graded construction is in
"layers" of different densities. In graded tiles, there is a meniscus or
"surface line" between layers. Achieving qualification of the gradient
process is very significant and represents a technical breakthrough long
sought by the international aerogel manufacturing community. A strong
benefit of this achievement to the Stardust Project is speeding the build-up
in inventory. This successful qualification means now both graded and
gradient density tiles are flight qualified. The graded-density
qualification was completed in May.

Permission was received from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to place the
Vietnam War Memorial names on the microchip to fly on Stardust. The Fund
agrees that "putting the names of those who fell in America's
longest-lasting war on a microchip -- a mini-Vietnam Veterans Memorial --
and [having] it travel around the [solar system] is a fitting tribute to
Vietnam veterans everywhere. ...... Our participation with Stardust will be
another interesting adjunct to the Wall's legacy -- of healing and
education."

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

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