The correct option is NASA.
Explanation
The Stardust mission was a robotic space probe designed to investigate the primitive materials of the Solar System by collecting samples from a comet.
Detailed Analysis:
- Agency and Launch: The mission was launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in February 1999.
- Objective: Its primary objective was to fly past Comet Wild 2 and collect dust samples from its coma (the cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus).
- Achievement: In January 2006, the mission successfully returned a sample capsule to Earth. It was the first mission to return cometary samples and extraterrestrial material from outside the Moon's orbit.
Key Takeaway: The Stardust mission was a NASA initiative that successfully collected and returned samples from Comet Wild 2.