The Space Studies Board of the National Research Council (NRC) serves as the primary adviser to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on planetary protection policy, the purpose of which is to preserve conditions for future biological and organic exploration of planets and other solar system objects and to protect Earth and its biosphere from potential extraterrestrial sources of contamination. In October 1995 the NRC received a letter from NASA requesting that the Space Studies Board examine and provide advice on planetary protection issues related to possible sample-return missions to near-Earth solar system bodies.

Meteorites - as well as shooting stars and meteors - result from a collision of a solid body from space with our Earth, but only meteorites are able to penetrate the Earth's protective shield, the atmosphere, and fall to the Earth's surface. Apart from lunar samples, they are the only materials from beyond the Earth which we can probe and study. This book gives a concise and up-to-date description of meteorites - fall phenomena, chemical and mineral composition, classification - as well as a discussion of their formation and origin, which also tells us the story of the formation of our planetary system. The text is understandable for laymen and students, but can also be used as an introduction to the field for students and scientists.

Primitive Meteorites and Asteroids: Physical, Chemical, and Spectroscopic Observations Paving the Way to Exploration covers the physical, chemical and spectroscopic aspects of asteroids, providing important data and research on carbonaceous chondrites and primitive meteorites. This information is crucial to the success of missions to parent bodies, thus contributing to an understanding of the early solar system. The book offers an interdisciplinary perspective relevant to many fields of planetary science, as well as cosmochemistry, planetary astronomy, astrobiology, geology and space engineering. Including contributions from planetary and missions scientists worldwide, the book collects the fundamental knowledge and cutting-edge research on carbonaceous chondrites and their parent bodies into one accessible resource, thus contributing to the future of space exploration. - Presents the most current data and information on the mission-relevant characteristics of primitive asteroids - Addresses the physical, chemical and spectral characteristics of carbonaceous chondritic meteorites and the bearings on successful exploration of their parent asteroids - Includes chapters on geotechnical properties and resource extraction

"A well-illustrated overview of the science and (literal) impact of these space rocks." -- Science News, on the first edition Leading experts in the field provide a compelling introduction to the space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere at speeds ranging from 25,000 mph to 160,000 mph. Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on the Earth each day. These messengers from space give us a unique insight into the nature of the material that was present when our solar system formed. Many of the specimen meteorites in this second edition were re-photographed to improve quality, and the optical microscopy shots were updated. There is also much new information on discoveries and developments in the study of meteorites, including: Meteorite falls and craters, and new information on ones previously covered Use of weather radar to detect and analyze meteorites, such as the 28,000 mph January 18, 2018, Michigan "fireball" How astrophysicists determine if a meteorite comes from Mars, and information about the Martian meteorites found to date Updated information on the results of the European Space Agency's Rosetta Mission in which a controlled impact was successfully completed into Comet 67P after investigating it with a probe for more than two years. Co-author Sara Russell, who is part of NASA's Mars program, provides the latest news about NASA's Mars programs, including the Mars Rover, which landed in 2016.

A comprehensive summary of the mineralogy of all meteorite groups and the origin of their minerals.

Contains several previously unpublished accounts of meteorite recoveries in Australia and provides deatails on many Australian contributions to the advancement of planetary science. Details everything from responses to meteorites in ancient civilsations to the most current theories on the origins of life on Earth.

Introduction to meteorites and many of their properties.