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Published online 16 January 2006 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news060116-1

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Comet dust delivered to Earth

Cosmic grains should tell tales of the early Solar System.

The first ever sample of a comet parachuted safely down to the Utah desert early on Sunday 15 January. The Stardust mission's capsule left a bright streak of light in the night sky as it tore through the atmosphere at more than 46,000 kilometres per hour, before popping a series of parachutes and driving into the desert sand at 2:10 local time.

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