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16. ANSMET Collecting a Meteorite

16. ANSMET Collecting a Meteorite

When a meteorite is found, the ANSMET team records its location, size, color, amount of fusion crust, probable type, and anything else that might possibly be important. Some of their tools are similar to those used by the Apollo astronauts to collect samples, and some are the latest in high-tech (like Global Positioning Satellite navigation). The team takes great care not to contaminate the meteorites. Meteorites are only handled with stainless steel instruments, and are immediately sealed in sterile plastic and/or aluminum foil packages. Meteorites collected by the ANSMET team in Antarctica are packed in dry ice to mimic conditions in the field and shipped to the Antarctic Meteorite Laboratory at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

S94-47936, NASA/JSC

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