On September 8, 2004, the Genesis spacecraft crashed in the Utah desert because its parachute did not open. The 210-kg capsule hit the ground at 311 km/h and penetrated the soil to a depth of 81.0 cm.
a) What was its acceleration (in m/s2 and in g’s), assumed to be constant, during the crash?
b) What force did the ground exert on the capsule during the crash? Express the force in newtons and as a multiple of the capsule’s weight.
c) How long did this force last?