NASA-- Sudan Meteorite Recovery Teleconference to be held 25MAR09

MEDIA ADVISORY : M09-044

NASA Sets Teleconference To Discuss Recovered Meteorites

WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a media teleconference on Wednesday, March 25, at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 UT) to reveal science findings from recently discovered meteorites.

The meteorites originate from a small asteroid that entered Earth's atmosphere over the Nubian Desert of northern Sudan on Oct. 7, 2008. The discovery presents scientists with an unprecedented opportunity to understand these nomads of the solar system better.

The briefing participants are:

- Peter Jenniskens, meteor astronomer at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., and the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif.

- Steve Chesley, scientist in NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

- Michael Zolensky, cosmic mineralogist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston

- Lucy McFadden, professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland in College Park

Reporters who would like to participate in the call should submit requests for dial-in instructions to Steve Cole at stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov.

A replay of the teleconference will be available until May 1 by dialing 888-403-4660.

Supporting visuals will be available online at the start of the event at: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/tc3

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live on NASA's Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio