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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Overview of the Results of the Organics PET Study of the Cometary Samples from Comet Wild 2 by the Stardust Mission

STARDUST is the first mission designed to bring samples back to Earth from a known comet. The captured samples were successfully returned to Earth on 15 Jan 2006, after which they were subjected to a preliminary examination by a number of teams of scientists from around the world. This abstract describes the efforts of the Organics Preliminary Examination Team (PET). More detailed discussions of specific analyses of the samples can be found in other papers presented at this meeting by individual members of the Organics PET (see the author list above for team members). The studied Wild 2 gas and dust samples were collected by impact onto aerogel tiles and Al foils when the spacecraft flew through the coma of 81P/Wild 2 on 2 Jan 2004 at a relative velocity of approx.6.1 kilometers per second. After recovery of the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) on 15 Jan 2006, the aerogel collector trays were removed in a clean room at JSC. After documentation of the collection, selected aerogel tiles and aluminum foils were removed and aerogel and cometary samples extracted for study.

Sandford, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Role of Extraterrestrial Materials in the Origin of Life

It has been well established for some time now that C-rich organic materials are relatively common in a number of environments in space. This is known through the telescopic detection of these materials using spectroscopy techniques in the infrared and sub-millimeter wavelength ranges and through the identification of organics in extraterrestrial materials. Extraterrestrial materials in which organics have been found include collected meteorites and interplanetary dust particles, and samples returned by NASA spacecraft from comets. These organics are produced by a variety of astrochemical processes. Despite their abiotic origins, these organic materials of are considerable interest to astrobiology for several reasons. First, organic materials of any composition are important as a means of delivering the elements C, H, O, and N to the surfaces of newly formed planets, and these elements are likely critical to the origin and subsequent evolution of life (certainly for life as we know it). In addition, it is clear that at least a portion of the organics found in space are in the form of molecules that play important roles in modern biology - for example, molecules like amino acids, amphiphiles, quinones, etc. Thus, the delivery of extraterrestrial organics to planetary surfaces brings not only bulk C, H, O, and N, but also molecular complexity in forms that are potentially useful for the origin and early evolution of life. This suggests that the production and delivery of cosmic organic compounds may have played key roles in the origin of life on Earth and, by extension, on other planets in the universe.

Astrochemistry↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Aguas Zarcas Breccia - Similarities to Surface Features of C-Complex Asteroids Ryugu and Bennu

Knowledge of the materials originally present in the proto-solar nebula is one of the most significant constraints for models concerning the formation of our solar system. The physicochemical properties of these original materials can be determined through two distinct and complementary approaches: astronomical observations of nascent stellar systems and the dense clouds from which they originated; and laboratory studies of available astromaterials such as meteorites, interplanetary dust particles, comets, as well as returned mission samples (e.g., from Hayabusa -1 -2;OSIRIS -Rex). Laboratory study of these extraterrestrial materials provides valuable information about the first solids portion of the early solar system and their evolution. Here, we present petrographic and mineralogical characteristics of the polymic beccias Aguas Zarcas based on the research results of [1].On April 23, 2019, at 21:07 local time, a meteorite fall occurred in Aguas Zarcas, San Carlos County, Alajuela province, Costa Rica. The rapid recovery of this brecciated carbonaceous chondrite after its fall provides an opportunity to study a freshly fallen, relatively uncontaminated, and highly brecciated meteorite to compare with samples returned by theHayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from C-group asteroids. The study includes several pre-rain fragments [1].The X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) results show many different lithologies. We describe the petrography and mineralogy of five different lithologies of the Aguas Zarcas meteorite. We also present data on bulk oxygen isotopes. We describe all fragments in detail and attempt to classify each lithology in order to understand the origin and formation history of the Aguas Zarcas parent body. Our results show that some lithologies of Aguas Zarcas are similar to those in CM chondrites, but others are unique. The different lithologies [1] also represent different degrees of hydration and heating, which are good analogues for the types of materials returned by the Bennu and Ryugu asteroids. Spectroscopic observations of the Ryugu and Bennu asteroids compared to laboratory measurements of meteorites suggest that the asteroids have some similarities to heated CM, heated CI, or CI chondrites[2-5]. Both asteroids are thought to be composed of materials altered by aqueous alteration (e.g., [5]) and formed by reaccretion after destruction by impacts and brecciation (e.g., [6-7]). Considering the different lithologies in Aguas Zarcas [2] and other CM chondrites [8-9], these types of carbonaceous chondrites can be considered good analogues for samples from the Ryugu and Bennu asteroids. The presence of unique and rare lithologies in the Aguas Zarcas, different from the typical CM chondrite lithologies, suggests complex mixing of different materials in a highly dynamic environment.

Imene Kerraouch↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Dust Composition of Comet 81P/Wild 2 From JWST Spectroscopy Compared to Stardust’s Fine-Grained Materials and Gems-Rich IDPS

The Stardust Mission returned samples from the coma of Jupiter Family comet 81P/Wild 2 for detailed laboratory analyses. Here we present and discuss the best-fit thermal dust model for the coma dust of comet 81P/Wild 2 as observed by JWST. Comet 81P was observed through JWST GO 018xx, using NIRSpec (2.9–5.3µm, λ/∆λ≈1000) and MRS IFU (4.9–28.1µm, λ/∆λ≈3000) on 2023-03-20 UT and 2023-03-24 UT, respectively, at a heliocentric distance of 1.85 au and JWST distance of 1.43 au (phase angle of 32 degrees). The dust coma of 81P as revealed by JWST offers a salient compliment to laboratory studies of Stardust samples that typically are bigger than 2 µm and up to 60 µm in size.

D H Wooden↗
NASA NTRS2012

Toward Lower Organic Environments in Astromaterial Sample Curation for Diverse Collections

Great interest was taken during the frenzied pace of the Apollo lunar sample return to achieve and monitor organic cleanliness. Yet, the first mission resulted in higher organic contamination to samples than desired. But improvements were accomplished by Apollo 12 [1]. Quarantine complicated the goal of achieving organic cleanliness by requiring negative pressure glovebox containment environments, proximity of animal, plant and microbial organic sources, and use of organic sterilants in protocols. A special low organic laboratory was set up at University of California Berkeley (UCB) to cleanly subdivide a subset of samples [2, 3, 4]. Nevertheless, the basic approach of handling rocks and regolith inside of a positive pressure stainless steel glovebox and restrict-ing the tool and container materials allowed in the gloveboxes was established by the last Apollo sample re-turn. In the last 40 years, the collections have grown to encompass Antarctic meteorites, Cosmic Dust, Genesis solar wind, Stardust comet grains and Hayabusa asteroid grains. Each of these collections have unique curation requirements for organic contamination monitor-ing and control. Here is described some changes allowed by improved technology or driven by changes in environmental regulations and economy, concluding with comments on organic witness wafers. Future sample return missions (OSIRIS-Rex; Mars; comets) will require extremely low levels of organic contamination in spacecraft collection and thus similarly low levels in curation. JSC Curation is undertaking a program to document organic baseline levels in current operations and devise ways to reduce those levels.

Allton, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Stardust Sample: Investigator's Guidebook

In January 2006, the Stardust spacecraft returned the first in situ collection of samples from a comet, and the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust. Stardust is the first US sample return mission from a planetary body since Apollo, and the first ever from beyond the moon. This handbook is a basic reference source for allocation procedures and policies for Stardust samples. These samples consist of particles and particle residues in aerogel collectors, in aluminum foil, and in spacecraft components. Contamination control samples and unflown collection media are also available for allocation.

Allen, Carl↗
NASA NTRS1994

The status of measurement technologies concerning micrometer and submicrometer space articulate matter capture, recovery, velocity and trajectory

The return of a pristine sample from a comet would lead to greater understanding of cometary structures, as well as offering insights into exobiology. The paper presented at the Discovery Program Workshop outlined a set of measurements for what was identified as a SOCCER-like interplanetary mission. Several experiments comprised the total instrumentation. This paper presents a summary of CCSR with an overview of three of the four major instruments. Details of the major dust dynamics experiment including trajectory are given in this paper. The instrument proposed here offers the opportunity for the return of cometary dust particles gathered in situ. The capture process has been employed aboard the space shuttle with successful results in returning samples to Earth for laboratory analysis. In addition, the sensors will measure the charge, mass, velocity, and size of cometary dust grains during the encounter. This data will help our understanding of dusty plasmas.

Alexander, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Coordinated Focused Ion Beam/Ultramicrotomy Technique for Serial Sectioning of Hayabusa Particles and Other Returned Samples

Recent sample return missions, such as NASA's Stardust mission to comet 81P/Wild 2 and JAXA's Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa, have returned particulate samples (typically ~5-50 μm) that pose tremendous challenges to coordinated analysis using a variety of nano- and micro-beam techniques. The ability to glean maximal information from individual particles has become increasingly important and depends critically on how the samples are prepared for analysis. This also holds true for other extraterrestrial materials, including interplanetary dust particles, micrometeorites and lunar regolith grains. Traditionally, particulate samples have been prepared using microtomy techniques (e.g., [1]). However, for hard mineral particles ≳20 μm, microtome thin sections are compromised by severe chatter and sample loss. For these difficult samples, we have developed a hybrid technique that combines traditional ultramicrotomy with focused ion beam (FIB) techniques, allowing for the in situ investigation of grain surfaces and interiors. Using this method, we have increased the number of FIB-SEM prepared sections that can be recovered from a particle with dimensions on the order of tens of μms. These sections can be subsequently analyzed using a variety of electron beam techniques. Here, we demonstrate this sample preparation technique on individual lunar regolith grains in order to study their space-weathered surfaces. We plan to extend these efforts to analyses of individual Hayabusa samples.

Berger, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Curating NASA's Past, Present, and Future Extraterrestrial Sample Collections

As codified in NASA Policy Directive 7100.10F, the Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office at NASA Johnson Space Center (hereafter JSC Curation) is charged with curation of all extraterrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions. JSC Curation curates all or part of nine astromaterial collections in seven clean room suites: (1) Apollo Samples (1969; ISO 6-7), (2) Luna Samples (from USSR; 1972; ISO 7), (3) Antarctic Meteorites (1976; ISO 7), (4) Cosmic Dust (1981; ISO 5), (5) Microparticle Impact Collection (formerly called Space Exposed Hardware; 1985; ISO 5), (6) Genesis Solar Wind Atoms (2004; ISO 4); (7) Stardust Comet Particles (2006; ISO 5), (8) Stardust Interstellar Particles (2006; ISO 5), (9) Hayabusa Asteroid Particles (from JAXA; 2010; ISO 5). In addition to the labs that house the samples, we have installed and maintained a wide variety of facilities and infrastructure required to support the clean-rooms: more than 10 different HEPA-filtered air-handling systems, ultrapure dry gaseous nitrogen systems, an ultrapure water system (UPW) and cleaning facilities to provide clean tools and equipment for the labs. We also have sample preparation facilities for making thin sections, microtome sections, and even focused ion-beam (FIB) sections to meet the research requirements of scientists. To ensure that we are keeping the samples as pristine as possible, we routinely monitor the cleanliness of our clean rooms and infrastructure systems. This monitoring includes: daily monitoring of the quality of our UPW, weekly airborne particle counts in the labs, monthly monitoring of the stable isotope composition of the gaseous N2 system, and annual measurements of inorganic or organic contamination in processing cabinets. We track within our databases the current and ever-changing characteristics of more than 250,000 individual samples across our various collections (including the 19,141 samples on loan to 433 Principal Investigators in 24 countries). The next sample return missions that NASA will participate in are Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security - Regolith Explorer). The designs for a new state-of-the-art suite of clean rooms to house these samples at JSC have been finalized. This includes separate ISO class 5 clean rooms to house each collection, a common ISO class 7 area for general use, an ISO class 7 microtome laboratory, and a separate thin section lab. Additionally, a new cleaning facility is being designed and procedures developed that will allow for enhanced cleaning of cabinets and tools in an inorganically, organically, and biologically clean manner. We are also designing a large multi-purpose Advanced Curation laboratory that will allow us to develop the techniques necessary to fully support the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions, as well as future possible sample return missions (e.g., Lunar Polar Volatiles, Mars, Comet Surface). A micro-CT (micro Computed Tomography) laboratory dedicated to the study of astromaterials has come online within JSC Curation, and we plan to add additional facilities that will enable non-destructive (or minimally-destructive) analyses of astromaterials in the near future (e.g., micro-XRF (micro X-Ray Fluorescence), confocal imaging Raman Spectroscopy). These facilities will be available to: (1) develop sample handling and storage techniques for future sample return missions, (2) be utilized by PET (Positron Emission Tomography) for future sample return missions, (3) for retroactive PET-style analyses of our existing collections, and (4) for periodic assessments of the existing sample collections.

Zeigler, Ryan A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Participating Scientist Program for the STARDUST Mission

It is the Policy of NASA s Office of Space Science to emphasize and encourage the addition of Participating Scientist Programs (PSP s) to broaden the scientific impact of missions. A Participating Scientist Program for the STARDUST Mission: STARDUST is the fourth Discovery mission, and it is the first sample return mission selected within the Discovery Program. The STARDUST Spacecraft will fly through the coma of comet PIwildt-2 in early January 2004, and return the samples to the Earth in January 2006. The Principal Investigator of the STARDUST mission, Dr. Donald Brownlee, has generously requested the implementation of a PSP for STARDUST in order to provide more community participation in the initial characterization and analysis of the samples from PIwildt-2. In particular participating scientists will fill out the membership of the Preliminary Examination Team (PET) called for in the original 1994 STARDUST proposal accepted by NASA in 1995. The work of the PET will be organized around major subdiscipline areas such as mineralogy and petrology, isotopic abundances, and elemental composition. There will be leaders for each of these areas, and also a number of team members within each. Support will be commensurate with the level of participation.

Morgan, T. H.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Stardust in STARDUST - the C, N, and O Isotopic Compositions of Wild 2 Cometary Matter in Al foil Impacts

In January 2006, the STARDUST mission successfully returned dust samples from the tail of comet 81P/Wild 2 in two principal collection media, low density silica aerogel and Al foil. While hypervelocity impacts at 6.1 km/s, the encounter velocity of STARDUST, into Al foils are generally highly disruptive for natural, silicate-dominated impactors, previous studies have shown that many craters retain sufficient residue to allow a determination of the elemental and isotopic compositions of the original projectile. We have used the NanoSIMS to perform C, N, and O isotope imaging measurements on four large (59-370 microns diameter) and on 47 small (0.32-1.9 microns diameter) Al foil impact craters as part of the STARDUST Preliminary Examination. Most analyzed residues in and around these craters are isotopically normal (solar) in their C, N, and O isotopic compositions. However, the debris in one large crater shows an average 15N enrichment of approx. 450 %, which is similar to the bulk composition of some isotopically primitive interplanetary dust particles. A 250 nm grain in another large crater has an O-17 enrichment with approx. 2.65 times the solar O-17/O-16 ratio. Such an O isotopic composition is typical for circumstellar oxide or silicate grains from red giant or asymptotic giant branch stars. The discovery of this circumstellar grain clearly establishes that there is authentic stardust in the cometary samples returned by the STARDUST mission. However, the low apparent abundance of circumstellar grains in Wild 2 samples and the preponderance of isotopically normal material indicates that the cometary matter is a diverse assemblage of presolar and solar system materials.

Stadermann, Frank J.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Stardust in STARDUST - the C, N, and O Isotopic Compositions of Wild 2 Cometary Matter in Al Foil Impacts

In January 2006, the Stardust mission successfully returned dust samples from the tail of comet 81P/Wild 2 in two principal collection media, low density silica aerogel and Al foil. While hypervelocity impacts at the Stardust encounter velocity of 6.1 kilometers per second into Al foils are generally highly disruptive for natural, silicate-dominated impactors, previous studies have shown that many craters retain sufficient residue to allow a determination of the elemental and isotopic compositions of the original projectile. We have used two NanoSIMS ion microprobes to perform C, N, and O isotope imaging measurements on four large (59-295 micrometer diameter) and on 47 small (0.32-1.9 micrometer diameter) Al foil impact craters as part of the Stardust Preliminary Examination. Most analyzed residues in and around these craters are isotopically normal (solar) in their C, N, and O isotopic compositions. However, the debris in one large crater shows an average N-15 enrichment of approx. 450%o, which is similar to the bulk composition of some isotopically primitive interplanetary dust particles and to components of some primitive meteorites. A 250 nm grain in another large crater has an O-17 enrichment with approx. 2.65 times the solar O-17/O-16 ratio. Such an O isotopic composition is typical for circumstellar oxide or silicate grains from red giant or asymptotic giant branch stars. The discovery of this circumstellar grain clearly establishes that there is authentic stardust in the cometary samples returned by the Stardust mission. However, the low apparent abundance of circumstellar grains in Wild 2 samples and the preponderance of isotopically normal material indicates that the cometary matter is a diverse assemblage of presolar and solar system materials.

Stadermann, Frank J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Supporting planetary missions - The Space Station role

Spacecraft destined for interplanetary flight can be assembled, fueled, and tested near the Space Station, thus providing for spacecraft too large and/or massive for launch from earth on a single boost. The 28.5-deg-inclination orbit of the Station will, however, cause penalties for some missions. Another Station role is to recover sample returns from, e.g., Mars or a comet.

Blanchard, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS2004

NASA STARDUST Sample Return Mission

This viewgraph presentation reviews the Stardust mission. The objectives of the mission is to rendezvous with the Wild 2 comet, and using a specially designed aerogel capture some of the cometary material, and then return a capsule with the material to Earth. Other objectives are to provide images of the comet, and capture interstellar dust. There is a description of the aerogel, the trajectory, and views of the Stardust Sample Return Capsule (SRC), Cometary and Interstellar Dust Analyzer (CIDA) instrument, and the JPL designed camera. Also included is a timeline of the projected release of data to the Planetary Data System.

Wild 2↗
NASA NTRS2004

Stardust Imaging of Comet Wild 2: First Look

On 2 January 2004 during its historic flight to return cometary dust samples to earth, the STARDUST spacecraft flew within the coma of comet Wild 2 and also took 72 images where the surface was resolved during the flyby. A combination of long and short exposures was used to observe the jets and the surface. Comet Surface: The images revealed a planetary body, one not having a significant atmosphere, quite different from any other such body seen from other spacecraft. Surface depressions, potentially a combination of craters and vents, were not bowl-shaped but typically had steep walls and flattened floors. One depression considered to be a vent, the source of a jet, had a depth to diameter ratio of approx.0.4, with near vertical walls. Jets: At least 10 to possibly 20 jets were active during the flyby. Some were traced back to the surface where they seem to originate from the near vertical walls of depressions (vents) that were facing the sun, having the highest solar insolation.

Newburn, R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Sample Collection from Small Airless Bodies: Examination of Temperature Constraints for the TGIP Sample Collector for the Hera Near-Earth Asteroid Sample Return Mission

There have been a number of missions that have explored the solar system with cameras and other instruments but profound questions remain that can only be addressed through the analysis of returned samples. However, due to lack of appropriate technology, high cost, and high risk, sample return has only recently become a feasible part of robotic solar system exploration. One specific objective of the President s new vision is that robotic exploration of the solar system should enhance human exploration as it discovers and understands the the solar system, and searches for life and resources [1]. Missions to small bodies, asteroids and comets, will partially fill the huge technological void between missions to the Moon and missions to Mars. However, such missions must be low cost and inherently simple, so they can be applied routinely to many missions. Sample return from asteroids, comets, Mars, and Jupiter s moons will be an important and natural part of the human exploration of space effort. Here we describe the collector designed for the Hera Near-Earth Asteroid Sample Return Mission. We have built a small prototype for preliminary evaluation, but expect the final collector to gather approx.100 g of sample of dust grains to centimeter sized clasts on each application to the surface of the asteroid.

Franzen, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Stardust Encounters Comet 81P/Wild 2

Stardust successfully encountered comet 81P/Wild 2 on 2 January 2004 at a distance of 236.4 +/- 1 km. All encounter investigations acquired valuable new and surprising findings. The time-of-flight spectrometer registered 29 spectra during flyby and measured the first negative ion mass spectra of cometary particles. The dust detectors recorded particles over a broad mass range, 10(exp -11) to 10(exp -4) g. Unexpectedly, the dust distribution along Stardust's flight path was far from uniform, but instead occurred in short 'bursts', suggesting in-flight breakup of fragments ejected from the nucleus. High-resolution, stunning images of the Wild 2 surface show a diverse and complex variety of landforms not seen from comets 1P/Halley and 19P/Borrelly or icy satellites of the outer solar system. Longer-exposure images reveal large numbers of jets projected nearly around the entire perimeter of the nucleus, many of which appear to be highly collimated. A triaxial ellipsoidal fit of the Wild 2 nucleus images yields the principal nucleus radii of 1.65 X 2.00 X2.75 km (+/- 0.05 km). The orientations and source locations on the nucleus surface of 20 highly collimated and partially overlapping jets have been traced. There is every indication that the expected samples were successfully collected from the Wild 2 coma and are poised for a return to Earth on 15 January 2006.

Stardust mission↗