French Labs To Receive Stardust Samples

IRON AND ICE

Closeup view of a cometary impact (center) into aerogel was inspected by scientists at a laboratory at the Johnson Space Center hours after the Stardust Sample Return Canister was delivered to the Johnson Space Center from the spacecraft's landing site in Utah. Image credit: NASA

by Staff Writers
Houston TX (SPX) Jan 19, 2006
Returning to Earth last weekend after a seven-year, three-billion mile journey through space, Stardust's Sample Return Canister has now arrived at NASA's Johnson Space Center, in Houston.

In a special laboratory, a team of scientists at JSC will begin work to open the container and analyze the comet and interstellar dust samples.

An internet webcam is providing live views of the scientists' work on the canister.

The particles will be distributed to several laboratories around the world, including nine in France, reports CNES, including the Institute for Space Astrophysics and Paris' Museum of Natural History, who will be allowed to carry out preliminary tests on the samples to get a clearer picture of just what was collected.

There will then be an open call for research propositions with only the best being selected. Working together, the laboratories in France will study the chemical composition of the microscopic particles using the Synchrotron X-ray source in Grenoble, France. They also plan on testing the particles to find if they contain any organic material or traces of water. Isotopic analyses and mass spectrometry will also be carried out.

For these interstellar particles the French government acquired a NanoSims 50, a type of chemical microscope / ionic probe, still very rare in the scientific community.

Scientists are hoping that these analyses will help answer some of the questions that still remain on the original material that made up our universe and the formation of the planets.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Asteroid and Comet Mission News, Science and Technology

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

IRON AND ICE

Catalina Sky Survey Tops 2005 NEO Discoveries

Tuscon AZ (SPX) Jan 19, 2006
When it comes to finding asteroids or comets that swing too close to home, the Catalina Sky Survey is currently Earth's best defense.

ENERGY TECH Lithium-Ion Batteries Could Replace Standard Batteries In Hybrid Vehicles Iran, Nigeria Lead To Oil Spike Couple To Drive Round The World With Only 50 Fill-Ups China's Developing World Energy Strategy	CIVIL NUCLEAR Poll Reveals Half British Public Support Nuclear Future U.S. Pushes For More Nuclear Power Australia: China Must Sign Safeguards To Get Uranium India Enters Into Nuclear Talks With Japan
BLUE SKY What Is A Cloud Getting To The TOPP Of Houston's Air Pollution Scientists Seek Sprite Light Source	WOOD PILE Deforestation Threatens Brazil's Pantanal Wetland Nobel Laureate Blames East Africa Drought On Deforestation Indonesia Faces More Disasters Unless Government Reforests ESA Presents Space Solution To Montreal Forest Conference
FARM NEWS Growing Crops To Cope With Climate Change New Possibilities To Fight Pests With Biological Means "Doomsday Vault" To House World's Seeds Growing More Good Oil From The Sea	CAR TECH Eclectic Koizumi Tries Electric Sedan GM Hires Russian Nuclear Scientists To Develop New Auto Technology Japan Creates The World's Fastest Electric Sedan Motorists To Pay 'Congestion' Charge Over Broader Swath Of London
AEROSPACE US Air Force Rates F-22A Raptor "Mission Capable" Wedgetail Aircraft Delivered To Boeing Australia Northrop Grumman To Provide New Air Data Inertial Reference Units To Lufthansa Air Force Slates F-117 And B-52 For Cuts F-22 Raptors	NUCLEAR SPACE NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program Boeing-Led Team to Study Nuclear-Powered Space Systems

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement