In a very unfortunate event that marked Genesis's return to the earth, the parachutes of the space capsule failed to open resulting in a crash landing into the Utah desert.
The capsule weighing 452 pounds (205 kg) crashed at the military Utah Test and Training Range. The capsule broke open on impact.
As MSNBC.com reports, the $260 million Genesis mission was bringing back to earth a set of fragile disks containing billions of atoms from the solar wind. NASA officials said that the disks would shatter even if the capsule hit the ground with a parachute.
It is also reported that the explosive meant to open the space capsule's parachute following its entry into earth's atmosphere is a live mortar, which may still be armed.
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