Introduction: Atmospheric Entry of the Stardust Sample Return Capsule

摘要

InN THIS issue of the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets is ancollection of articles pertaining to the atmospheric entry of thenStardust SRC. Each article presents and/or leverages some aspect ofnthree sources of flight information: the recovered SRC thermalnprotection system, airborne observation of the entry usingninstruments that provide spectral resolution of the hot SRC andnshock layer gasses, and radar signature during the terminal descentnstage. As an introduction to this special edition, the Stardust SRC isndescribed, followed by a broad description of the flight data sources.nSpecific aspects of the flight data are described in greater detail in thenarticles.