Genesis probe crash. The Genesis probe crashed into the desert in Utah, USA, at 16:00 GMT on 8th September 2004. Its parachutes failed to open. It was planned to be caught in mid-air by a helicopter, as its cargo was considered too delicate to survive the jolt of a parachute landing. Genesis spent over two years gathering solar wind material in an assortment of fine crystal wafers. Despite hitting the ground at an estimated 310 kilometres per hour, it is hoped that some of the gathered material may have survived.