Genesis Capsule

A member of the Genesis Sample Return team, shown in this image taken from video, looks at the capsule after it fell to Earth without deploying its parachute, Sept. 8, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The space capsule, which had orbited the sun for more than three years in an attempt to find clues to the origin of the solar system, crashed to Earth after its parachute failed to deploy.

The Genesis capsule is shown after falling to Earth, Sept. 8, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Hollywood stunt pilots were supposed to snatch the capsule's parachute with a hook as it floated down at 400 feet per minute. But the capsule tumbled out of control.

Mission members Jeff Fogleman, left, and James Hanna look at a video of the capsule after it crashed, Sept. 8, 2004, in Utah. The capsule was bringing back fragile disks containing billions of atoms collected from solar wind -- a stream of highly charged particles that are emitted by the sun. NASA officials had worried the disks would shatter even if the capsule hit the ground with a parachute.

The Genesis capsule is seen falling from the sky, Sept. 8, 2004. The Genesis mission, launched in 2001, marked the first time NASA has collected any objects from farther than the moon for retrieval to Earth.

A Genesis logo adorns the side of the helicopter that was to be used to capture the space capsule in mid-air, Sept. 7, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.

Cliff Fleming, the lead helicopter pilot, and backup pilot Dan Rudert pose in front of one of their helicopters prior to the Genesis Sample Return mission, Sept. 8, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Stunt pilots by trade, the pair had replicated the retrieval in dozens of practice runs.

Fleming, right, speaks during a news conference, Sept. 7, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Fleming has swooped after sky surfers in the action movie "XXX" and towed actor Pierce Brosnan through the air in "Dante's Peak." He just worked on "Batman 4."

Payload masters Bryan Johnson, left, and Lynn Fogelman connect the trigger to a hook on a helicopter prior to the Genesis Sample Return mission, Sept. 8, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.

Equipment is laid out as the Genesis return project is readied, Sept. 7, 2004, in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.

In this undated photo provided by NASA, a stunt helicopter pilot practices the retrieval of the Genesis probe capsule during an exercise drill over Utah's west desert.