Cosmic Dust News
Mike Zolensky, Interim Cosmic Dust Curator
Volume 8 No. 2 • October 2026
Cosmic Dust Laboratory Status
The Cosmic Dust Lab is fully operational, and samples are continuing to be processed and allocated. After the installation of the new SEM, a new lab configuration was undertaken to reorganize lab layout. Additionally, old lab tables are in the process of being replaced with new stainless-steel tables, which will aid long-term lab contamination control. We also installed a flammable materials cabinet, replacing an older storage cabinet we had been using for many years. The accumulation of these changes ultimately make the lab cleaner, safer, and a more effective space to work.
Samples Collection on the NASA WB57F Aircraft Have Restarted
It has been several years since cosmic dust collections have been made in the stratosphere. After some repairs were made to the collector pylons, cosmic dust collection flights have now restarted using the NASA WB57F aircraft based at Ellington Airport, just north of the Johnson Space Center. The initial flights were made between July 6th - 17th , with next flights tentatively scheduled for October. In August, we hoped to piggyback on a flight to sample the Perseid meteor shower but it was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Still, we hope to make dedicated flights to sample comet showers next year.
Figure 1: WB57F aircraft in the Ellington hanger. The collector pylon is indicated by an arrow.
Figure 2: Cosmic Dust Lab Lead Andrew Robertson installing a Cosmic Dust collector pylon onto a NASA WB-57F aircraft.