Live Blogging Stardust
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Yes, I'm still awake. Watching the NASA channel broadcast Stardust's reentry and recovery. We've been sending stuff off planet for almost 50 years, and there still isn't a common term for people like me. Call me an astrophile. :D

3:54 am CST - JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory -one of 3 control centers) passed out "good luck" fortune cookies, instead of "good luck" peanuts.

3:57 am CST - SRC (Stardust Recovery Capsule) crosses over California coastline, heading for Utah, and moving damn fast. (29,000 mph) Stardust spacecraft continues over United States, presumably to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean.

3:58 am CST - Mission Control breaks out in applause. Visual shot of fast moving glowing blob.

3:59 am CST - Drouge chute deploys, more applause. The drouge chute is necessary to create drag and slow down the SCR.

4:00 am CST - A voice comments that there is no change in velocity, a second voice says everything looks good. I'm rooting for the second voice.

4:01 am CST - First voice continues to comment on lack of visual confirmation of chute. (no! no no no!)

4:02 am CST - Velocity has not changed, no indication of chute.

4:03 am CST - Temporary loss of infrared visual due to cloud cover. Voice noting deceleration. (Thank gods, but is it enough?) Visual returns.

4:04 am CST - 10000 feet to go before main chute deployment, signs of slight drift, which might indicate a chute (oh please, oh please...)

4:05 am CST - 13,000 feet. 20 seconds to main chute deployment.

4:05 am CST - 10,000 feet. Deceleration is noted "Appears to be under a good chute."

4:06 am CST - Confirmation of main chute. (hubby breathes again) Mission control has another brief spate of applause. SCR moving at 500 ft. per minute.

4:07 am CST - Lots of happy geeks on screen.

4:08 am CST - UHF beacon is on, and being tracked, more applause, SCR moving much slower now. (whew!)

4:09 am CST - SCR at 6000 ft, expect landing in less than 90 seconds.

4:10 am CST - Camera panning around in the sky looking for SCR.

4:11 am CST - "Ok. It's on the ground" comes over radio. Absolute silence until announcement to room, "All stations, we have touchdown!" Main chute should be cut on landing to keep SCR from being dragged by the chute.

4:12 am CST - Coordinates for landing being relayed to Vertigo recovery helicopter. Googlemap Reporters hoping chute was cut... typical reporters. Like there wasn't enough tension with the damn thing not slowing down for what seemed like forever (sigh)

4:32 am CST - Vertigo has SCR's signal, but can't it find the SCR in the dark. They have to be careful of contamination, so the helicopter can't fly too closely. If the recovery craft has any cracks or anything, terrestrial dust could get in. So they're being very careful.

4:44 am CST - Voice reports "They think that they may have it." Waiting for confirmation. Video appears to show Vertigo on the ground.

4:48 am CST - Vertigo has spotted the parachute. Vertigo is on the ground and checking to see if the chute has come down on top of the SCR.

4:54 am CST - "All stations, we can report that Vertigo crew has located the capsule."

4:56 am CST - second helicopter is in the air and enroute to site.

A third helicopter will take off in about 5 minutes, but I'm going to bed. Good night y'all.