Debbie Thomas cutting the sample to be tested during a visit from the PBS's series History Detectives in NASA Goddard Space Flight Center lab. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Debbie Thomas (right) and Tukufu Zuberi of the PBS's series History Detectives during filming at a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center lab. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Analyzing a piece of the film that the History Detectives believed was from the Echo II Project. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Tukufu Zuberi of the History Detectives waits on the analysis of the film. Tthe History Detectives believed a piece of film was from the Echo II Project. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

The name of the instrument is X-Ray Photoelecton Spectrometer (acronymed XPS); the lab is in the Materials Engineering Branch and aptly titled the X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometry Lab. XPS is a non-destructive surface analysis technique that provides an elemental composition of the surface. It is capable of detecting any element with the exception of hydrogen and helium. In the picture, I am analyzing a piece of the film that the History Detectives believed was from the Echo II Project. I was looking for the presence of chromium, which would help confirm that the exterior of the film had a chromium conversion coating. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Marjorie Sovinski (left) and Tukufu Zuberi of the PBS's serieres History Detectives during filming at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Analyzing a piece of the film that the History Detectives believed was from the Echo II Project. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Debbie Thomas (left) and Tukufu Zuberi of the PBS's series History Detectives during filming at a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center lab. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum

Marjorie Sovinski looking for the presence of chromium, which would help confirm that the exterior of the film had a chromium conversion coating. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA/Debbie Mccallum