Meteorite Processing
After meteorites are found in Antarctica, they are carried to the Antarctic Meteorite Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. There, the meteorites are cataloged, examined, classified, and stored. This slide shows technicians working with meteorites in a sterile cabinet filled with dry nitrogen gas. The dry gas keeps the meteorites relatively free of contamination and keeps them from rusting. The technician on the left is examining a meteorite through a microscope, and the technician on the right is breaking a meteorite to expose its interior. The technicians put their hands into the black rubber gloves on the cabinets, which allows them to work without getting the meteorites dirty or exposing them to air.
