NASA Sends First Genesis Sample to Researchers
1/27/05

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, enabling the start of studies to achieve the mission's initial science objectives. 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.

"Reaching this point in our work and being able to send out this first Genesis
scientific sample marks a milestone in recovery efforts, following the spacecraft
mishap upon re-entry last September," said Dr. Eileen Stansbery, Deputy Director
of JSC's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate. "The team
has done an outstanding job of curating these precious samples, performing
preliminary exams, investigating numerous techniques to reduce or eliminate
contamination that occurred upon impact, and preparing the samples for
distribution to researchers," she noted.

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.

Although most of the solar wind is comprised of hydrogen, Genesis' goal was to
capture samples of all elements in the periodic table to allow a detailed study
of the sun's composition. The aluminum collector was designed to capture solar
wind samples that can be used to measure the amounts of neon, argon, krypton and
xenon, called the noble gases, the sun contains.

"Gaining a better understanding of the noble gas elements in the sun is one of
the 19 specific scientific measurement objectives originally proposed for the
Genesis mission," said Stansbery. "We are delighted to provide this sample to our
Washington University colleagues. We look forward to the results of the research
they are already conducting in this critical area, and we are increasingly
optimistic that even more science data will be obtained from Genesis samples in
the coming months," she added

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.

Genesis clean-room activities are now focused on preparing the second early
science sample, the gold foil, for distribution in the next few weeks to
researchers at the University of Minnesota. The gold foil collected bulk solar
wind and will be used to study nitrogen isotopes.

Click here for photos of the piece of the Genesis polished aluminum collector prior to its shipment to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.

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