Genesis Mission Reentry September 8, Western US

[viper101]

It really is funny to see something like this occur right here on Earth, the type of scenario that has been played out so many times on Mars.<br /><br />Someone shoulda put a cypres on that thing!

 

[Leovinus]

It was also something to see that thing tumbling all the way down to the ground. I was looking at that thinking, in this order:<br /><br />"Cool I see it."<br /><br />"I don't see the chute yet".<br /><br />"Shouldn't the chute be out now?"<br /><br />"It looks like it's tumbling."<br /><br />"Is the chute going to get tangled up with that tumbling?"<br /><br />"It's getting pretty big in the picture"<br /><br />"I wonder how high it is."<br /><br />"Shouldn't the chute be out yet?"<br /><br />"Oh no!!!!" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[chmee]

What did they say at the press conference??<br />

 

[giofx]

Hey, i was just thinking... could beagle2 have encountered the same fate? maybe he's quite intact, too!

 

[giofx]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/genesis/status.html

 

[rybanis]

My dad and I were watching it over breakfast. After the "event", he simply said: "Well, now we know what Mars feels like".<br /><br />ARRRRRRGH. The Mars Missile Defence System must also have a stake in Utah. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[lunatic133]

Curmudgeon.

 

[backspace]

Ugh. Lousy press asks about Huygens and not Stardust.

 

[Leovinus]

video of impact <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[chmee]

Well, I understand that none of the pyro's fired for the drogue or main chutes. <br /><br />So this would indicate a problem with either the software (was supposed to fire 1st pyro when decelleration reached 3G's), the batteries that power the firing of the pyros, or a mechanical/electrical linkage between the pyros/batteries/computer.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

It's getting the usual "NASA are as useful as a chocolate fireguard coverage" over here <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> Mind you, after STS-107 they claimed NASA had no shuttles left :/

 

[Leovinus]

Where's "over here"? Is it by any chance the same people who drilled Mars with the Beagle "lander"? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Yeah, Beagle....Heh. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[llivinglarge]

How should we define today's crash?<br /><br />Loss of Craft?<br />Failure on Reentry?<br />Mission Failed?

 

[mrmorris]

No one has mentioned the upside of the incident. The scientists who were out monitoring the reentry to get detailed data about how meteorites act when they enter the earth's atmosphere got a <b>heckuva</b> lot more data than anticipated... <img src="/images/icons/shocked.gif" />

 

[gpurcell]

Latest communication, a press release with O'Keefe quotes, says that they are "encouraged" by what they found at the crash site. Perhaps at least some of the samples collected by the capsule were reasonably contained.<br /><br />As an aside, I was never a huge believer in the science of this mission in the first place...and I seem to recall a bit of kvetching about it from others when it was selected.<br /><br />Other observation: two Discovery program failures, + significant loss of science on Stardust due to the clouding of the camera lens. Gotta wonder if this is going to cause problems for getting funding for Discovery missions in the future.

 

[alexblackwell]

<i>Other observation: two Discovery program failures, + significant loss of science on Stardust due to the clouding of the camera lens.</i><br /><br />It remains to be seen whether Genesis will be declared a total failure. Perhaps some science can be recovered. We'll see.<br /><br />However, your assertion that "significant loss of science [occurred] on Stardust due to the clouding of the camera lens" is erroneous. The Navcam contamination issue was solved well before the Wild-2 flyby, and Stardust achieved all of its flyby objectives. The only thing remaining is the successful recovery of the sample return capsule.

 

[gpurcell]

I stand corrected then; I had the understanding that even though the lens was improved its performace was still significantly degraded.

 

[alexblackwell]

<i>I stand corrected then; I had the understanding that even though the lens was improved its performace was still significantly degraded.</i><br /><br />There was and has been a slight trace of degradation in the Stardust Imaging Camera, which, presumably, stemmed from a contaminant or contaminant component that was not removed by the decon efforts. However, the camera's point spread was restored very close to its laboratory value.

 

[claerwen]

Sh#t!<br /><br />Just got my power back after days of Frances-induced outage - and this is the first news I see.

 

[cosmictraveler]

Why isn't it possible to do onboard science on the particles?If they could put a good computer and microscope inside the craft then all they would need do is get the craft to the desired location then collect the samples then anyalize them inside the craft. Some sort of spectographic device to read what the particles contain then the microscope to look at them closer. <br /><br />The money saved by not having it return to Earth would more than make up for the extras that are needed for something like this to be designed. Just a thought. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>It does not require many words to speak the truth. Chief Joseph</p> </div>

 

[sloracer]

Of course I'm disappointed that the chute procedure failed, but I just had the best afternoon! It's the first time I was able to access one of NASA's programs on my computer. I was sitting here with that on the computer and CNN reporting on my big TV. Sure did feel like a happy nerd. <br /><br />Even watching the aftermath, the caution being used, and the newspeople questioning. I felt very much a part of what was happening. Then, reading the posts here today, there are some interesting, thoughtful suggestions that NASA ought to consider for any future missions--and I'm sure they'll be open to suggestions.<br /><br />We're living in a very exciting time and there are lots of people involved in trying to broaden the scope of scientific information. Someone mentioned earlier that this type of exploration is fraught with danger, accidents, and failure. Were it not for the bravery and courage of those involved, where would we be today? <br /><br />I passed the information about the Mission on to some relatives and was so disappointed in their feedback. "One of them said, "Looks like that thing failed." Give me strength! But it shows that NASA's big problem may simply lie in public relations and unfortunately if today's mission proves to be a total failure it sure isn't going to help their image.

 

[bobvanx]

I predict that the post mortem shows it came in upside down (heat shield up).

 

[shuttle_rtf]

>Where's "over here"? Is it by any chance the same people who drilled Mars with the Beagle "lander"?<<br /><br />Yeah, our space program basically consists of......emmm, nothing <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[sloracer]

<font color="orange">This is the latest bulletin.</font><br /><br />Donald Savage (202) 358-1547<br />NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. <br /><br />RELEASE: 2004-219 September 8, 2004<br /><br />Genesis Mission Status Report<br /><br />The Genesis sample return capsule entered Earth's atmosphere at 9:52:47 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time and entered the preplanned entry ellipse in the Utah Test and Training Range as predicted. However, the Genesis capsule, as a result of its parachute not deploying, impacted the ground at a speed of 311 kilometers per hour (193 miles per hour). The impact occurred near Granite Peak on a remote portion of the range. No people or structures were anywhere near the area. <br /><br />"We have the capsule," said Genesis project manager Don Sweetnam of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "It is on the ground. We have previously written procedures and tools at our disposal for such an event. We are beginning capsule recovery operations at this time." <br /><br />By the time the capsule entered Earth's atmosphere, the flight crews tasked to capture Genesis were already in the air. Once it was confirmed the capsule touched down out on the range, the flight crews were guided toward the site to initiate a previously developed contingency plan. They landed close to the capsule and, per the plan, began to document the capsule and the area. <br /><br />"For the velocity of the impact, I thought there was surprisingly little damage," said Roy Haggard of Vertigo Inc., Lake Elsinore, Calif., who took part in the initial reconnaissance of the capsule. "I observed the capsule penetrated the soil about 50 percent of its diameter. The shell had been breached about three inches and I could see the science canister inside and that also appeared to have a small breach," he said. <br /><br />The safety of recovery personnel has been the top priority. The capsule's separation charge had to be confirmed safe before the capsule could be moved