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While the NASA photo of the day highlights the crash of a "flying saucer" in the Utah desert since 2004, it is important to note that no extraterrestrials were involved in this close encounter.
According to the US Space Agency, the photo below shows the rubble of the return of NASA's Genesis spacecraft, launched in 2001 to study the sun. NASA says the photo below shows the sample return capsule, which was part of the "man made robot spaceship".
"The hard landing at over 300 km / h has occurred because the parachutes did not open as planned," NASA reported on its website. "The Genesis mission gravitated around the Sun by collecting solar wind particles that are usually deflected by the Earth's magnetic field.
"Despite the forced landing, many return samples remained in a sufficient state to be analyzed.For now, the findings related to Genesis include new details on the composition of the Sun and on the how the abundance of certain types of elements differs in the solar system. "
The space agency claims that these preserved Genesis results have provided new insights into the initial formation of the sun and the planets of our solar system.
Science Alert reports that the Genesis return capsule was supposed to return to the atmosphere when a mortar aboard the space shuttle was supposed to blow and release a parachute to slow down and stabilize its descent. NASA reports in a long investigation report published on its website that a set of small sensors have been installed upside down.
"When it entered the atmosphere, the Genesis capsule was located north of Oregon.The capsule stabilized with the nose down due to the location of its center of gravity, its rotational speed and its aerodynamic shape, "announced the space agency.
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