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This story was updated at 5:11 a.m. EST.

A NASA satellite zipped near by comet Tempel 1 New last period (Feb. 14), ownership a cosmic fellow that enwrapped up an out-of-this-world Valentine's Day.

The Stardust-NExT enquiry flew to within 112 miles (181 kilometers) of the comet at 11:39 p.m. EST (0439 instance today), snapping photos and making measurements every the while. It took assignment scientists until midnight EST to support the flourishing connexion because of the communications holdup between the enquiry and Earth.

The spacecraft's high-resolution images began incoming on scientists' computers around 3:55 a.m. EST (0855 GMT) today. Researchers had desired the prototypal photos to bracket the spacecraft's closest approach, but a flaw prevented that from happening. The prototypal Tempel 1 pictures scientists saw were the prototypal ones Stardust-NExT took during the rendezvous, when it was most 1,600 miles (2,575 km) away from the comet.

The closest-approach photos module roll in, officials said — it'll meet verify a few more hours than expected.

"They're not lost, and the targeting is quite good," said Chris Jones, assort director for flight projects and assignment success at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

Getting a ordinal countenance at Tempel 1

Comet Tempel 1 is no intruder to robotic visitors from Earth.

In July 2005, added NASA probe, famous as Deep Impact, broken an 800-pound (364-kilogram) impactor into Tempel 1 to think the comet's composition.

The 3.7-mile-wide (6 km) Tempel 1 has an orbital period of 5 1/2 years, so it had prefabricated one trip around the sun since Deep Impact's visit. Stardust-NExT's important assignment is to support scientists learn how such the comet has denaturized during this time.

Researchers also hope to intend a good countenance at the crevice Deep Impact pounded discover of the surface; the Deep Impact enquiry was not healthy to wager it substantially finished the Brobdingnagian darken of debris ejected from the blow. Another intend of the Stardust-NExT assignment is to modify geologic function of Tempel 1's surface, adding to the impact finished by Deep Impact.

"We've never gone backwards to a comet," said Ed Weiler, assort administrator for NASA's power assignment directorate. "This is the prototypal instance in manlike history that we've had that opportunity."

Through these and other observations, Stardust-NExT crapper contribute to scientists' discernment of how comets bacilliform at the solar system's birth 4.6 1000000000 eld past and how they hit evolved, researchers hit said.

The flyby

After more than threesome eld of preparation, Stardust-NExT — streaking finished expanse at most 24,300 mph (39,100 kph) — approached the comet and snapped 72 high-resolution images. The enquiry began effulgent its photos backwards to Earth most quaternary hours after the closest approach.

Researchers due the prototypal photos they received to be the fivesome condemned when Stardust-NExT was closest to Tempel 1. But for reasons that rest mysterious at the moment, the craft instead sent its pictures in the order in which they were taken.

"They equal the move sequence," designer said. "We ease don't understand fully why this didn't impact as planned."

The problem is a glitch, not a disaster. Stardust-NExT didn't retrograde any pictures; the best ones module meet verify a lowercase individual to accomplish scientists' computers. NASA had scheduled a advise conference for 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) today to handle the flyby and whatever primeval power results. But that has been delayed until 4 p.m. EST at the earliest, officials said, to provide scientists instance to analyze the closest-approach photos.

At this stage, every indications are that the appointment was a success, and fervour flowed finished assignment control at JPL as updates came in from the spacecraft.

"Everything is employed superbly well," said Joe Veverka of Cornell University, Stardust-NExT capital investigator.

Recycled spacecraft

This was not Stardust-NExT's prototypal comet rodeo. The enquiry began its chronicle as the Stardust spacecraft, which launched in Feb 1999 on a assignment to amass detritus and gas from around comet Wild 2 and send the sample backwards to Earth.

Stardust complete that assignment when its return canister landed in the Utah desert in 2006. Since the orbiting satellite was ease in good appearance and had a clean taste of render left, NASA gave it a new assignment in 2007 — to appointment with Tempel 1.

The enquiry was rechristened Stardust-NExT (for "New Exploration of Tempel"). The incentive assignment is a bargain, NASA officials hit said, since it takes plus of an quality already in space. It outlay most $300 meg to start and operate Stardust finished the modify of its mission. Stardust-NExT's amount cost, on the other hand, should be $29 million.

Stardust-NExT is a survivor, having already logged most 3.5 1000000000 miles (5.7 1000000000 km) in space. But this should be the last comet connexion for the probe, since it has belike destroyed up almost every of its remaining render chasing down Tempel 1, researchers said.

You crapper follow SPACE.com grownup illustrator Mike Wall's news of Stardust-NExT's comet flyby on Twitter: @michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com's comet news at @SpaceDotCom and on Facebook.

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