UTAH - A daring trip to study the solar wind will end on Wednesday with the midair retrieval of extraterrestrial samples above the Utah desert. However, the scientific journey is only the beginning. "We have begun the process of dismantling the Sun," said Charles Elachi, the director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "That's going to take us a few years, of course, given that we can only drag off a few pounds at a time. But we hope with the knowledge gained here on Genesis, we can make our next scavenger -- Exodus, to be launched in early 2006 -- even more successful."

"We're taking on global warming at its source." -- Charles Elachi, Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Scientists say the material will not only reduce the Sun's overall size, but more importantly, will reduce the number and scale of nuclear fusion reactions taking place on it, thereby reducing its output. "We're taking on global warming at its source," explained Elachi.

"Four and a half billion years ago, all of the matter of the solar system, including us, was part of a giant molecular cloud," said Don Burnett, principal investigator for the Genesis mission. "The stuff was not so spread out, not so globular. But once the Sun congealed out of the nebula, the stage was set for the problems we face now. Genesis is providing the chemical composition of that solar nebula, and the means to suck that baby dry. "

Greenpeace is only one group among several that has been protesting NASA's plans. "It is unthinkable that we could be so arrogant as to try to solve our man-made problems by destroying the most precious object in our solar system," said Harvey Forkmeyer, "The damage wrought by this Genesis probe will be suffered by our children and their children. If we allow Exodus to be launched, humanity itself may be lost."

"The tragedy would be if we didn't send Exodus on her mission," responded Burnett, "It was in the 90's for over half the summer. I, for one, would like to be able to enjoy some time outside for a change."
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