BULLSEYE !!

NASA’s Deep Impact Kicks off Fourth of July With Deep Space Fireworks

“After 172 days and 431 million kilometers (268 million miles) of deep space stalking, Deep Impact successfully reached out and touched comet Tempel 1. The collision between the coffee table-sized impactor and city-sized comet occurred at 1:52 a.m. EDT.”

– Hubble captures Deep Impacts collision with a comet
– ESA cheers on NASA’s Deep Impact success
– XMM-Newton detects water on Tempel 1

View near real time images from Deep Impact

NASA Deep Impact Status Report July 03, 2005

“One hundred and seventy-one days into its 172-day journey to comet Tempel 1, NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft successfully released its impactor at 11:07 p.m. Saturday, Pacific Daylight Time (2:07 a.m. Sunday, Eastern Daylight Time).”

NASA’S Deep Impact Spacecraft Preps for July 4 Fireworks

NASA Gears Up for Fourth of July ‘Fireworks’ in Space, Washington Post