Imaging and Slitless Spectroscopy of the Stardust Capsule Reentry Radiation

Observations were made during the reentry of the Stardust sample return capsule on 15 January 2006 in order to calibrate the level of radiation from the capsule surface, from the bow shock, and from its wake. A sensitive cooled charge-coupled device camera was used, equipped with a grating to simultaneously record the first-order spectrum of the capsule and that of the background stars. The radiation of the capsule was dominated by the graybody radiation from the hot surface. This graybody radiation was calibrated against the known radiation of background stars. The purpose of this calibration was to provide a cross check for other instruments participating in the airborne Stardust Entry Observing Campaign. In addition, eight short-exposed images were obtained that show the development of billowing and the distortion induced by winds. [PUBLISHER ABSTRACT]