Interesting Facts on the Genesis Project JPL/NASA
MISSION
FIRSTS
JPL
The Genesis mission is the:
- First sample return of the new millennium.
- First to use bulk metallic glass as collector material.
- First mission to return from L-1.
- First to use a mid-air recovery for a sample return.
- First NASA mission to develop a class 10 clean room (only 10 particles of contaminant per cubic meter).
- First mission to study solar wind in exceptionally accurate analytical mass spectrometer laboratories.
- First mission to partner with education research laboratory (McREL) to provide education and public outreach for a mission.
TOTAL
COST
The total cost of the
mission, including the rocket that launches it into space and all our
communications systems, is a little over $200 million dollars.
SPACECRAFT
DIMENSIONS
Width of Spacecraft Deck:
2.3 meters
Solar Panel Span
(longest dimension of the spacecraft):
7.9 meters
1.5 meters
Diameter of Science Canister:
97.3 centimeters longest distance across
Height from bottom
to top of sample return capsule:
131 centimeters
Spin Rate on Station:
One revolution every 37.5 seconds
Mass of spacecraft and launch rocket:
494kg.
Mass at launch, including propellant:
636 kg.
Propulsion system:
Blowdown monopropellant (hydrazine) with helium pressurant
Communications bandwidth:
S-band telemetry reception at 15 kilobits per second during the halo orbit
phase, and 120 bits per second during the cruise and return phases.
Data Rate during Sample Collection:
15 kilobits per second
Max Power Capability:
254 watts
Launch Vehicle:
Boeing Delta 2 rocket
Launch Site:
Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL
Launch Date:
July 30, 2001
Project Life Cycle (months):
36 months launch to recovery. The mission began in 1990, and the recovered
samples may last a century or more to process all the data.
MISSION
SPONSOR
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA), Washington, D.C.
Genesis is one of NASA's Discovery Program missions.
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