NASA scientists recently announced that Stardust spacecraft has gathered interstellar dust particles, which may help them to better understand the origin of solar system.

According to NASA’s research team, the spacecraft has brought back seven interstellar dust grains and remains which might hold evidences to the origin of the Universe. The residues are less than 1 millionth of a meter across are consistent with dust. Scientists are hopeful that the analysis of these dust particles will help them to better understand the complexity of solar system’s creation.

The particles are made up of the material that generates planetary system and new stars. These could also be used as building blocks for future planets.

Curator of the Stardust laboratory, Michael Zolensky, said, “These are the most challenging objects we will ever have in the lab for study, and it is a triumph that we have made as much progress in their analysis as we have”.

Researchers predicted a homogenous return, but the particles delivered by the spacecraft are of diverse chemical composition and size. Three of the seven dust interstellar particles contain sulfur compounds. Some scientists believe that sulfur compounds don’t occur in interstellar dust. Scientists continue their research of these tiny dust granules to find something unique.

Stardust spacecraft was launched in 1999 from the Utah Test and Training range, 80 miles west of Salt Lake City, with a tennis racket-sized collection canister. During its journey, the collection container of spacecraft uncovered its aerogel center to the straggling end of the comet, gathered various dust particles transported by the icy rock.

The spacecraft returned to Earth in 2006 with seven tiny particles which were filtered carefully by scientists through the satellite’s aluminum foil dust collectors. Though the spacecraft returned eight years ago, the researchers were still investigating the particles.