Apr
02

Behind the scenes: Get the inside dirt on the meteorite clean lab

The Antarctic Meteorite Program is a cooperative agreement between three agencies – the National Science Foundation, NASA and the Smithsonian Institution – providing for the collection, curation, distribution and long-term storage of meteorites recovered during annual U.S. expeditions to Antarctica.

Returning more meteorites in the last 30 years than were collected over the entire Earth in the previous 500 years, the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) continues to be an inexpensive yet guaranteed way to recover meteorites from the Moon, Mars and previously un-sampled asteroids. These rocks are critical to our understanding of the history of the Solar System, providing essential “ground-truth” for our study of the asteroids, planets and other bodies of our solar system.

Don your clean-room clothing and take a glimpse into the Smithsonian’s new Antarctic meteorite storage facility in Suitland, Md., where all of the Antarctic meteorites in the national collection are kept under tight security and tight airlocks.

Related posts:

Detail of brick with "brick" written on itOur Smithsonian: Backyard archaeology Dr. Marian Pettibone Discovered and Described New Forms of Oceanic Life Black and white snapshot of enslaved womanICYMI: Highlights from the week that was Feb. 8 – Feb. 12, 2021 logo art for episode 4 of Sidedoor podcastSidedoor: The mean, green, water-cleaning machine

Posted: 2 April 2012
About the Author:

Brian Ireley is a digital media specialist at the Smithsonian’s Central Office of Public Affairs. Specializing in science communication and multimedia production, most of Brian’s work aims to make nerdy topics more accessible and fun.