The Stardust mission, initiated by NASA, was designed to study the composition of comets and to capture and return samples from these ancient celestial bodies. Launched on February 7, 1999, Stardust embarked on a journey that would take nearly five years to reach its target, Comet Wild 2, which was discovered in 1978. The spacecraft's encounter with the comet took place on January 2, 2004, when Stardust approached within about 236 kilometers of Wild 2, capturing particles speeding through the comet's coma a few kilometers above its surface. Using a sophisticated collection technique that employed aerogel, a substance with similar properties to the solar wind trapping technology used in previous missions, Stardust managed to collect thousands of cometary dust particles. Upon its return journey, Stardust stored these samples in a capsule designed to withstand atmospheric reentry. Finally, in January 2006, the capsule safely landed in the Utah desert, where scientists eagerly awaited the opportunity to analyze the samples. The data collected would contribute to our understanding of the materials found in the early solar system, including organic compounds that may hold clues about the origins of life on Earth. The findings have helped paint a clearer picture of the conditions present during the formation of our planet and the potential for similar processes on other celestial bodies.