A video frame grab taken the afternoon of 8 August 2001 shows a whitish dot (right of arrow) that is an extremely long distance view of the Delta rocket carrying NASA's Genesis probe to capture and return to Earth particles of the solar wind.
UPDATE 9 September 2004 from the NASA press release:
The Genesis sample return capsule entered Earth's atmosphere at 9:52:47 a.m. MDT 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 mph). The impact occurred near Granite Peak on a remote portion of the range. No people or structures were anywhere near the area.
"We have the capsule," said Genesis project manager Don Sweetnam of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "It is on the ground. We are beginning capsule recovery operations at this time."
"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.
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. The recovery team is in the process of preparing to move the capsule to a clean room.
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