[Space] NASA's GENESIS Misison's sample return webcast

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NASA's Genesis Mission

NASA's Genesis Webcast

Live Webcast

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2004
1500 GMT (11:00 a.m. EDT)

The sample return capsule is barrelling toward Earth's atmosphere having successfully separated from the main body of the Genesis spacecraft earlier this morning. The capsule, which contains the precious collection of solar wind samples, has no propulsion system -- it is simply aimed to the precise trajectory "keyhole" for entry into the atmosphere with no way to abort the homecoming now.

Mission navigators expect the capsule to hit the top of Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 400,000 feet around 1555 GMT (11:55 a.m. EDT). The target "keyhole" is roughly 20.5 miles long and 6.2 miles wide over the Pacific Ocean. If the capsule enters the atmosphere anywhere inside this corridor, it will come down over the designated spot on the Utah Test & Training Range, NASA says.

After its fiery plunge through the atmosphere, a series of chutes and a large parafoil will slow the capsule in preparation for a mid-air recovery by a helicopter.

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Stanno partendo i due elicotteri.

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1518 GMT (11:18 a.m. EDT)

The pilots are making final preparations for takeoff. There are two helicopters ready to retrieve the Genesis capsule -- one primary and one backup. They will have time to make about 5 tries to grab the descending capsules.


1520 GMT (11:20 a.m. EDT)

The choppers have started up. Each specially outfitted helicopter has a three-person crew.


1525 GMT (11:25 a.m. EDT)

Both the primary red-colored "Vertigo" helicopter and the backup blue-painted "South Coast" choppers have just taken off from their staging point in Utah. They will fly into position for the upcoming retrieval of Genesis. It is a beautiful, clear morning at the recovery zone.


1530 GMT (11:30 a.m. EDT)

The capsule is currently high above the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast. It is scheduled to hit the atmosphere for reentry in about 25 minutes.

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1533 GMT (11:33 a.m. EDT)

A military Blackhawk helicopter is escorting the primary and backup capture helicopters. The three choppers are flying toward a spot 7.5 miles away from the recovery position at an altitude of 10,000 feet where they will wait for Genesis.

1535 GMT (11:35 a.m. EDT)

"The lead helicopter will deploy an 18-1/2-foot pole with what you could best describe as an oversized, space-age fishing hook on its end," said Roy Haggard, chief executive officer of Elsinore, Calif.-based Vertigo Inc. and director of helicopter flight operations. "When we make the approach we want the helicopter skids to be about eight feet above the top of the parafoil. If for some reason the capture is not successful, the second helicopter is 1,000 feet behind the first one and setting up for its approach. We estimate we will have five opportunities to achieve capture."

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1537 GMT (11:37 a.m. EDT)

The helicopters are now 6,200 feet in altitude.

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1542 GMT (11:42 a.m. EDT)

The primary capsule recovery chopper, called Vertigo, reports it is three minutes from reaching its standby position in the sky over Utah.

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1545 GMT (11:45 a.m. EDT)

Now 10 minutes from the time Genesis will begin atmospheric entry over northern Oregon. The capsule plunge to the atmosphere at a velocity of approximately 24,700 miles per hour. The only human-made object to re-enter Earth's atmosphere at a higher speed was the Apollo 10 command module, which reached 24,861 mph.

Genesis will be stabilize with its nose down because of the location of its center of gravity, its spin rate and its aerodynamic shape.

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1550 GMT (11:50 a.m. EDT)

Tracking systems are operating to acquire the capsule as it falls back to Earth.

As the capsule descends through the atmosphere, it will be "painted" by powerful radars located on the Utah Test & Training Range. This will provide tracking information allowing ground-based cameras to spot the capsule.

Backup tracking is provided by a Global Positioning System unit on the Genesis capsule that transmits position data to a ground station, which in turn relays the information to the mission control center.

The radar, visual and GPS data will provide an accurate plot in three dimensions for the capsule's location. This plot is generated at the mission control center located about 100 miles away from the range at Hill Air Force Base. A ground control intercept officer based at the Hill Air Force Base mission control will direct helicopter flight crews towards the capsule.

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1554 GMT (11:54 a.m. EDT)

The capsule has been spotted high over the planet!

The Genesis sample return capsule has hit the upper fringes of Earth's atmosphere 400,000 feet above the planet for its trek home. The capsule contains samples of the solar wind that were collected a million miles from Earth during the three-year Genesis mission.

About 45 seconds after entry interface, the capsule will be exposed to a deceleration force three times the force of Earth gravity, or 3 G's. This arms a timer that is started when the deceleration force passes back down through 3 G's. All of the parachute releases are initiated from this timer.

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1555 GMT (11:55 a.m. EDT)

After one minute of atmospheric descent, the capsule should be at an altitude of 197,000 feet as the heat shield temperature reaches a peak temperature of 4,500 degrees F.

Slightly over 10 seconds later, the capsule will be exposed to about 30 G's, the greatest deceleration it will endure during Earth entry. During this time period, the capsule's heat shield will lose an estimated about 7 pounds, or about 6 percent of its weight, as a small amount of the ablative material erodes away with the heat generated during entry through the atmosphere.

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1556 GMT (11:56 a.m. EDT)

Just over two minutes since entry interface. The capsule should be at an altitude of 108,000 feet as a mortar aboard the capsule will fire, releasing the 6.7-foot drogue parachute to provide stability to the capsule until the main chute is released. The capsule's heat shield will rapidly cool during this subsonic portion of the descent.

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1557 GMT (11:57 a.m. EDT)

The capsule appears to be tumbling!

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1558 GMT (11:58 a.m. EDT)

The Genesis sample return capule is rapidly tumbling with no chute.

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1558 GMT (11:58 a.m. EDT)

IMPACT! The capsule has slammed into the Utah desert after failing to deploy its chutes and parafoil.

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1559 GMT (11:59 a.m. EDT)

The capsule is half buried into the ground. But it appears to be mainly intact.


1601 GMT (12:01 p.m. EDT)

The impact point is 40.07 degrees by 113.30 degrees in Utah.

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1602 GMT (12:02 p.m. EDT)

NASA's Genesis sample return capsule has suffered a major anomaly during homecoming today, failing to release its chutes and parafoil to slow the descent for a mid-air recovery. The craft plunged into ground a high rate of speed. The status of the solar wind samples is not yet known.


1604 GMT (12:04 p.m. EDT)

Mission control says without the drogue chute and subsequent parafoil, the capsule would hit the ground at about 100 mph.

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1605 GMT (12:05 p.m. EDT)

There is no indication what might have caused Genesis' problem. NASA says there will be an investigation to determine why the speed-slowing chute and parafoil failed to deploy.

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1609 GMT (12:09 p.m. EDT

An overhead view of the impact point shows the capsule half-buried on its side. The craft appears to be badly damaged.

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1610 GMT (12:10 p.m. EDT)

Recovery forces are moving toward the capsule, which has made a very spectacular crater.