Mid-air catch of a space probe

Hey look at this !!

BBC News: Scientists track incoming probe

Holy Cow! What are they going to do - stick a large fishing net out the window and catch it ??? Sounds like something from a Roadrunner cartoon !!!

DW - what will you wacky space engineers think of next ??

This is a pretty cool mission; makes me think about moving to Southern California and working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (well, missions like this and the fact it is in SoCal!).

That's a bit nutty. Why didn't they just figure out a way to do it bouncing bubble style, like pathfinder?

Pathfinder hit with some serious G's - around 18Gs if memory serves. If a regular parachute landing is enough to damage cargo then 18Gs is sure to do it.

It looks like it has more to do with unwanted contemination of the scientific samples, than overcoming the re-entry speed.

I'm talking about impact with the surface. Pathfinder was dropped from altitude and hit the Mars surface VERY hard. The deceleration due to reetry in earth's atmosphere itself isn't very significant.

of course, but i'm talking about possible contamination when the probe hits the ground, or more likely the ocean. Since it had to collect the dust during it's mission it probably wasn't possible to hermitically seal the dust inside the probe, and so there's a good change of contamination on re-entry.

Actually, just read it from the horse's mouth (www.nasa.gov). They're concerned about impact damage & contamination.

ok, that sounds about right.

Cool technique to use though, hope they shoot some film footage of it!

Impressive.
Hollywood turns out to be good for something

Just received an email containing the following information:

The ESA TV Service will provide a live rebroadcast of NASA TV's coverage of
this first sample return from outer space since the Apollo era.

More background information can be found on
http://genesismission.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/return.html.

Transmission details:Eutelsat W1 @ 10 degrees East
Transponder B4 Middle Channel 2, vertical, SCPC
F=11.088,5 MHz, Sym rate=5.6320 MSym/sec
FEC 3/4

For further information, visit our website at http://television.esa.int.

Live right now!

It's gone blue screen!

Back now

This is thrilling - a small white dot traversing an entirely blue screen while lots of Americans say 'Negative drogue' 'Copy' and the like.

Seriously though - if the drogue shoot isn't out, does this mean it's gonna crash?

EDIT: Yes. it just crashed.

No drogue. Shit.

another NASA cock up!

Hopefully still usable particles regardless; the capsule is intact.

NASA

Need Another Satellite Assembling

The day another space agency comes ever close to the successes of NASA, people have room to talk. It isn't brain surgery, it's rocket science; it's hard.

Funniest thing I've seen in ages...THWACK!!!

Hell of a shame actually, and no way am i gonna take a pop at NASA - I couldn't fly a paper aeroplane let alone a fucking rocket.
Have to say tho - I did love the quote at the end 'It's crashed!' 'What is the altitude?' 'Errr...ground level, sir.' haha

Seems to me that flying a rocket only involves sitting in a weird uprighty chair. Not exactly a fucking challenging task. Unless you are pissed.

ok - I wasn't following this - whats a drogue

yeah shame it crashed - any chance they can get anything useful from it I wonder ? Must watch the news tonight to see the footage.