Stardust: Cosmic Samples

~ A little follow-up from post: here.
The finale of a 7-year space Odyssey (from: Feb 7th, 1999) is drawing a-near and will be completed this morning, pre-dawn hours, in the Utah desert skies. This sample-collecting mission marks the end of a journey of 2.8 billion miles!

If you are on the West coast, this capsule might be seen, returning at 38 times the force of gravity, as it nears the landing zone. Should they decide (at the last minute) that they need to delay this landing, another landing opportunity 3 to 4 years later can be initiated.

This mission is monumental not only in its implementation, but its potentiality for research. Within the next several days (mission depending) samples will be disbursed to Scientists in all parts of the globe. May they make many important discoveries!

Again, the completed landing is set for in-between : 3:12 am Mountain and 12:57 am EST, on Sunday! View a great NASA flash video starting here!
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AUDIO: (mp3) Briefing from:
~Brazilian astronaut: Marcos Pontes.
~NASA Flight Engineer: Jeff Williams.
~Jeff's "Experience on shuttle": Jeff Williams.

~View the President Bush outline: New goals of the United States in Space! (Choose Multimedia)
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~ Conservative cat, and: Wizbang's....Carnival XLVI