Genesis, Stardust, Etc.: Snag & Bag

Palomar · **Posted:** Fri Nov 26, 2004 2:57 pm

What does this article indirectly say?

*Maybe I'm reading too much into this situation, but the latest "update" concerns not the samples but the spacecraft bus traveling back to L1. And that NASA is considering extending its "mission"? ??? As we all know, it no longer carries the Sample Return Capsule (smashed to smithereens thanks to the parachute goof).

Quote:

NASA is currently considering an extended mission, which would keep the spacecraft in the Earth-Moon system for the next several years. The Genesis spacecraft completed a trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) on Nov. 6, as the spacecraft made its closest approach by our planet since the release of the sample return capsule. This TCM ensured that the bus could escape from the Earth and Moon system if an extended mission is not approved.

They mention the solar wind monitors are operational, and also including "all of the spacecraft systems" -- except the SWMs are turned off. Frankly I think they'll let it go. Why not use those SWMs, though? Turn 'em back on.

--Cindy

Palomar · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 12:37 pm

*Oh good grief. Saw a finger-wagging article on Genesis last evening in a magazine akin to "Fortean Times." Rather funny: No mention whatsoever as to the purpose of the mission...no history of the mission, nor what science is hoped to be gleaned from the samples. Just a reference to how Genesis seemed like a "wobbling flying saucer" as it streaked toward the Earth and crashed in the desert.

Is there a lesson for NASA to learn here? The article begged (as if NASA "deserved" this fate for Genesis because of its official refusal to address fringe issues). :laugh: :rolleyes:

Yeah, NASA's got some lessons to learn. But not from the fringe goofballs.

Ay dios.

--Cindy

Palomar · **Posted:** Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:21 pm

*Finally -- another update (it's been a while).

NASA sends 1st Genesis early-science sample to researchers

Sent to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, who confirmed the sample contains solar ions.

Quote:

The Washington University study is the first of two scientific objectives that make up the initial research program planned for Genesis. The other early science objective involves studies of nitrogen from samples.

2nd sample preparation is underway in the Genesis clean-room; that sample will be sent to the U of Minnesota.

Good luck.

--Cindy

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:21 pm

Yup, just started to read the Nasa news release: NASA Sends First Genesis Early-Science Sample to Researchers

As you mentioned the:

Quote:

Scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston recently shipped a piece of the Genesis polished aluminum collector to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis. The shipment marked the first distribution of a Genesis scientific sample from JSC since the science canister arrived on Oct. 4, 2004. Preliminary examination of the sample by researchers has confirmed it contains solar ions, traces of the solar wind.

Washington University researchers Charles Hohenberg and Alex Meshik will study the sample to try to determine detailed information about the gases that make up the sun.

Granted they will have a good look at some of the elements that the sun spues out but the Isotopes and radioactive elements with short half life will be gone.

Palomar · **Posted:** Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:47 pm

SpaceNut wrote:

Granted they will have a good look at some of the elements that the sun spues out but the Isotopes and radioactive elements with short half life will be gone.

*Hi SpaceNut:

Actually I have little anticipation for this mission. -If- any actual solar science is forthcoming, I'll be following it in the current "Heliopolis" thread (which was my original intention before the damned crash).

The fact that this is the most recent news release in months (the most recent news release was discussed in my Nov. 26 post -- and didn't concern the actual samples themselves) sure doesn't bode well.

Hopefully I'll be proven wrong.

--Cindy

Palomar · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:18 pm

Catching falling stardust

*Brought that old tune to mind: Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day. I found this item while searching at random on Astropix.

I'm posting here because it mentions the Stardust mission, similarity of purpose, etc. This is from 1996. Either I can't recall having seen this image before or I've not. Was part of the European Recoverable Carrier spacecraft (EURECA). I searched Google, found a couple of links (mission description, techy stuff).

Anyway, thought this was a unique image and info.

--Cindy

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Wed Mar 16, 2005 3:05 pm

Resurrecting Genesis

Quote:

Despite this adversity, the Genesis team announced yesterday at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston, Texas, that it can still fulfill most or perhaps all of the mission's prime objectives.

sort of what we wanted on the left but what we got on the right after the crash.

Palomar · **Posted:** Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:58 am

SpaceNut wrote:

Resurrecting Genesis

*SpaceNut, you must get the Sky & Telescope e-mail before I do. Hmmmm.

Same article (I was going to post it, but see you have already) and I want to highlight some salient points. Only highlight because it's the end of a long day and my back is killing me.

This article is a ray of sunshine...no pun intended. I'm feeling more hopeful about the situation than ever before.

Quote:

The best place to have a failure is on Earth," says Genesis principal investigator Donald Burnett (Caltech). "You can pick up the pieces. You can use every bit of modern technology to solve your problem."

Quote:

So far they've logged 9,338 pieces.

Quote:

Most important, Genesis successfully collected three varieties of solar-wind particles: slow-moving particles, fast-moving particles, and coronal-mass-ejection particles.

I am especially interested in the CME particles! Will post about those results of studies in "Heliopolis," when they're available.

Quote:

Of the 271 whole and 30 half hexagons, there are some 199 fragments still attached to the plates. And a scant few of the hexagons actually survived the crash landing.

Contamination an issue still, though. :-\

They're not giving up on anything. Good.

--Cindy

Palomar · **Posted:** Wed Apr 20, 2005 7:02 pm

Great news!

*Four of the "key" science collectors are in excellent shape. They're calling this "a real miracle."

Quote:

Scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston removed the four solar-wind collectors from an instrument called the concentrator. The concentrator targets collected solar-oxygen ions during the Genesis mission. Scientists will analyze them to measure solar-oxygen isotopic composition, the highest-priority measurement objective for Genesis. The data may hold clues to increase understanding about how the solar system formed.

Terrific. :up:

--Cindy

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:00 pm

No to the Sky & Telescope e-mail, I actually just read from many sites.
This is good news about the plates conditions. This will possibly answer many questions about the solar wind as well.

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:53 pm

It has been a long time since the last info on the samples and I am still not sure what we will get from those that were so contaminated.
And for the Stardust spacecraft mission even less from its encounter with wild 2 comet. But this news stuck me as very odd. Pop Time Capsule Returns to Earth

Quote:

Somewhere out past Mars, Adolf Hitler floats through space -- along with Elvis, Darth Vader and an advertisement for a porn website.

This unlikely cast of characters is hitching a ride on the U.S. space probe Stardust, which contains a list of more than 1 million names submitted by the public through a NASA website.

The names, etched on two silicon chips so small they can be read only with a microscope, were published for the first time only last week.

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:53 am

Stardust is about to do a Mars flyby image path Date and time is tomorrow.

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:52 pm

Took a while but I found this thread again.

Picking up the pieces of Genesis mission

Quote:

There is still much to learn from one of NASA's recent robotic missions, and the scientist who has been picking up the pieces will deliver three public talks about it starting next week.

In his talks in the next two weeks, part of the Frontiers in Science series to tell the community about scientific research at LANL, Wiens will discuss the purposes of Genesis' two-year, million-mile voyage and the significance of understanding the isotopic composition of the sun.

Planetary scientists have not been able to explain some peculiarities that have been observed going back about 35 years ago, said Wiens.

Pieces of the solar system - analyzed from asteroids, meteorites and comets, have many of the same compositional characteristics as the Earth. Their isotopic ratios are similar, except for their ratio of isotopes of oxygen.

But we still have another that we are waiting on:

Quote:

Another NASA space capsule is scheduled to return to earth on Jan. 15. The Stardust capsule passed through the tail of the comet Wild 2 is bringing home samples of comet dust. Not quite as delicate as the solar collection, these samples are expected to make a landing in Utah.

Lets hope for a better landing this time around...

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Wed Nov 30, 2005 3:17 pm

Nice article on StarDust, The Fiery Return of NASA's Space Dust Cargo

Has Genesis to StarDust return flight path map and more....

Palomar · **Posted:** Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:26 pm

Stardust homeward bound

*It'll release its sample container on January 15, 2006. Entry velocity of the SC will be 28,860 mph; the fastest human-made moving ANYTHING on record.

Its speed will beat out that of Apollo 10. Awesome.

--Cindy

Yang Liwei Rocket · **Joined:** Wed Mar 03, 2004 11:32 am **Posts:** 988

Genesis crash inquiry helps Stardust team
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10627760/
NASA tries to learn from past mistakes as probe races back to Earth

an older thread
viewtopic.php?t=1495

Palomar · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:54 am

Flight path of Stardust capsule MAP

*Am linking it instead of posting it as an Image (too large). It's expected to shine
60 times brighter than Venus. Wow, wish I could see it.

Quote:

On Sunday morning, Jan. 15th, between 1:56 and 1:59 a.m. PST, a brilliant fireball will streak over northern California and Nevada. It's NASA's Stardust capsule, returning to Earth with samples of dust from Comet Wild 2. The best observing sites are near Carlin and Elko, Nevada.

Quote:

The fireball might be widely visible from parts of Oregon, Idaho and Utah as well as California and Nevada: observing tips. NASA is interested in videos and photos of the re-entry, which could help researchers learn more about, e.g., the physics of heat shields.

Observing tips

How to submit photos, video, etc.

Good luck to the mission and the team!

--Cindy

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:15 pm

Stardust much like Genisis is a mid air capture, so how will it be visible at that hour...

Palomar · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:22 pm

SpaceNut wrote:

Stardust much like Genisis is a mid air capture, so how will it be visible at that hour...

*It'll be burning as it re-enters -- particularly in the high atmosphere. The mid-air capture will still be rather low to the ground by comparison, so it's got time to burn...

--Cindy

SpaceNut · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2006 5:18 pm

Stardust has already surprised the scientific community with its spectacular images from the navigational camera. Startling comet images were entirely unexpected

Quote:

Nonetheless, its 72 images of comet Wild 2 have shaken up astronomers.
Scientists expected a mostly featureless surface, like those seen in close-ups of two other comets. Instead they saw bizarre geological features including 300-foot-tall spires, deep pits and craters.

The diameter of one huge depression takes up one-fifth of the 3-mile-wide comet. Named Left Foot, the crater has a flat, debris-less floor and nearly vertical walls.

Pretty great stuff for just a circling ice ball....

At 2:57 a.m. MST on Sunday, Stardust will slice through the atmosphere at an altitude of 410,000 feet over northern Nevada.
About two minutes later, when the probe reaches 10,000 feet, a drogue parachute will open, followed shortly after by the main parachute.

New Mars

Genesis, Stardust, Etc.: Snag & Bag

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