[meteorite-list] NASA To Return Meteorites To Space

From: Gus J. Glenn <astro9_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:50:21 2004
Message-ID: <200204020240.g322e2Q01420_at_mail23.bigmailbox.com>

NASA To Return Meteorites To Space

As part of its series of low cost "off the shelf" science missions, NASA is embarking upon an ambitious program to return meteorites to space, it was announced Friday at a press conference in Houston. Dr. Erich Gibbons, a senior mission specialist with NASA made the announcement.

"Meteorites are very important to deep space research," said Dr. Gibbons. "They are literally messengers from beyond, bringing us information about regions of space that are far beyond our reach. When we have the opportunity to study meteorites that have recently fallen, they give us important clues about the origin of our solar system, and maybe even the galaxy. Examination of the shape and fusion crust of meteorites is also crucial to the study of aerodynamics, as it applies to the design of re-entry vehicles like the space shuttle."

Fusion crust is a dark rind that forms on the exterior of meteorites as they plummet burning to earth. It is not found on terrestrial rocks. Exposure to earth's elements causes this rind to decay over a period of months or years, making fresh fusion crust indicative of a recent fall.

NASA plans to launch approximately 118 kilograms of nickel iron meteorite fragments excavated at Campo del Cielo in Argentina, into space aboard the space shuttle Atlantis on its mission to the Hubble Telescope next month. Once in orbit the meteorites will be released from the Atlantis shuttle's cargo bay, and allowed to fall back to our planet's surface. Their fiery descent will be carefully monitored by observatories and impact specialists around the world. The Campo del Cielo meteorites were accepted by the U.S. government in lieu of national debt payments.

"By observing the fall of these meteorites we hope to learn a lot about the rate of descent, and the processes involved in atmospheric break-up," said Dr. Gibbons.

Is there a chance of being hit by one of these falling celestial fireballs? Not likely, insists NASA, as the planned trajectory of the meteorites will bring them back to earth in a remote part of the Australian outback.

There have been a number of documented meteorite falls in recent years, notably near Tagish Lake in Canada. The Tagish Lake meteorite is a rare type, known as a carbonaceous chondrite. Some researchers believe that meteorites similar to Tagish Lake may have seeded earth with amino acids and other life building compounds during our planet's distant past.

An enthusiastic group of international dealers and collectors buy and sell meteorites on the open market, where prices can range from $1 to $10,000 or more per gram, depending on the rarity of the meteorite type. An uneasy alliance has formed between collectors and academic researchers. Meteorite hunters and collectors, often willing to brave harsh or dangerous conditions in search of these extra-terrestrial objects, sometimes make scientifically important specimens available to the research community. For a price.

"The NASA mission could like, you know, do maybe a lot for making more money in the meteorite business or whatever," says Mikey Ignoramus Casserole, a male burlesque dancer and amateur meteorite dealer from upstate New York. Mr. Casserole has offered $2,000,000 in Monopoly money to anyone who can recover one of NASA's "back to earth" meteorites.

Josef Stalingrad, a tough Russian meteorite hunter from Vladivostok is only one of hundreds of individuals who allege they have been cheated by Mr. Casserole in meteorite-related business dealings. "When I am next time see Casserole I insert this into his myakiznak," shouted Mr. Stalingrad while waving a half empty bottle of Zavodny vodka.

The Atlantis mission is only the first of many planned operations. "By 2012 we expect to have returned every last damn meteorite to space," said Dr. Gibbons in a telephone interview following the press conference. "Whatever it takes to keep them out of the hands of those grubby collectors."

Full text of this story at www.backtoearth.com

Wire service April 1, 2002

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Received on Mon 01 Apr 2002 09:40:02 PM PST