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Lunar Ferroan Anorthosite #60025 (Plagioclase Feldspar). Collected by Apollo 16 from the Lunar Highlands near Descartes Crater. This sample is currently on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
Lunar
Mission 		Sample
Returned 		Year
Apollo 11 22 kg 1969
Apollo 12 34 kg 1969
Apollo 14 43 kg 1971
Apollo 15 77 kg 1971
Apollo 16 95 kg 1972
Apollo 17 111 kg 1972
Luna 16 101 g 1970
Luna 20 55 g 1972
Luna 24 170 g 1976

Moon rock describes rock that formed on the Earth's moon. The term is also loosely applied to other lunar materials collected during the course of human exploration of the Moon.

lunar sample collection case on display at the National Air and Space Museum

The rocks collected from the Moon are measured by radiometric dating techniques. They range in age from about 3.16 billion years old for the basaltic samples derived from the lunar maria, up to about 4.5 billion years old for rocks derived from the highlands.[1] Based on the age dating technique of "crater counting," the youngest basaltic eruptions are believed to have occurred about 1.2 billion years ago,[2] but scientists do not possess samples of these lavas. In contrast, the oldest ages of rocks from the Earth are between 3.8 and 4.28 billion years old.

There are currently three sources of Moon rocks on Earth: 1) those collected by US Apollo missions; 2) samples returned by the Soviet Union Luna missions; and 3) rocks that were ejected naturally from the lunar surface by cratering events and subsequently fell to Earth as lunar meteorites. During the six Apollo surface excursions, 2,415 samples weighing 382 kg (842 lb) were collected, the majority by Apollo 15, 16, and 17. The three Luna spacecraft returned with an additional 0.32 kg (0.7 lb) of samples. Since 1980, over 120 lunar meteorites representing about 60 different meteorite fall events (none witnessed) have been collected on Earth, with a total mass of over 48 kg. About 1/3 of these were discovered by American and Japanese teams searching for Antarctic meteorites (e.g., ANSMET), with most of the remainder having been discovered by anonymous collectors in the desert regions of northern Africa and Oman.

Almost all lunar rocks are depleted in volatiles (such as potassium or sodium) and are completely lacking in the minerals found in Earth's water. In some regards, lunar rocks are closely related to Earth's rocks in their composition of the element oxygen. The Apollo moon rocks were collected using a variety of tools, including hammers, rakes, scoops, tongs, and core tubes. Most were photographed prior to collection to record the condition in which they were found. They were placed inside sample bags and then a Special Environmental Sample Container for return to the Earth to protect them from contamination. In contrast to the Earth, large portions of the lunar crust appear to be composed of rocks with high concentrations of the mineral anorthite. The mare basalts have relatively high iron values. Furthermore, some of the mare basalts have very high levels of titanium (in the form of ilmenite). A new mineral found on the Moon was armalcolite, named for the three astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission: Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins.

Curation and availability

Genesis Rock returned by the Apollo 15 mission.
Samples in Lunar Sample Building at JSC
Moon rock on display for visitors to touch at the Apollo/Saturn V Center

The main repository for the Apollo moon rocks is the Lunar Sample Building at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. For safe keeping, there is also a smaller collection stored at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Most of the rocks are stored in nitrogen to keep them free of moisture. They are only handled indirectly, using special tools.

Moon rocks collected during the course of lunar exploration are currently considered priceless. In 1993, three small fragments from Luna 16, weighing 0.2 g, were sold for US$ 442,500. In 2002, a safe, containing minute samples of lunar and Martian material, was stolen from the Lunar Sample Building. The samples were recovered; in 2003, during the court case, NASA estimated the value of these samples at about $1 million for 285 g (10 oz) of material. Moon rocks in the form of lunar meteorites, although expensive, are widely sold and traded among private collectors.

Approximately two hundred small samples were mounted and presented to national governments and U.S. governors. At least one of these was later stolen, sold, and recovered.[3] Other samples went to selected museums, including the National Air and Space Museum, the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, the Ontario Science Centre, and to the visitor center at Kennedy Space Center where it is possible to "touch a piece of the moon," which is in fact a small moon rock cemented in a pillar in the center of a bank vault that is toured by visitors. The Tribune Tower in Chicago has a small piece in a display case facing Michigan Ave. The Space Window in Washington National Cathedral incorporates a small moon rock within its stained glass. NASA says that almost 295 kg (650 lb) of the original 382 kg (842 lb) of samples are still in pristine condition in the vault at Johnson Space Center.

NASA has made a number of educational packs comprising a disc of six small rock and soil samples in a lucite disc and a pack of thin petrological sections. They are available for exhibition and educational purposes in many countries, including Great Britain, where the samples are kept by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Classification

Moon rocks fall into two main categories, the ones found in the lunar highlands (terrae) or the maria. The terrae consist dominantly of mafic plutonic rocks. Regolith breccias with similar protoliths are also common. Mare basalts come in three distinct series in direct relation to their chemistry: high-Ti basalts, low-Ti basalts, and Very Low-Ti (VLT) basalts.

Highlands lithologies

Processing facility in Lunar Sample Building at JSC
Slice of moon rock at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
Mineral composition of Highland rocks
  Plagioclase Pyroxene Olivine Ilmenite
Anorthosite 90% 5% 5% 0%
Norite 60% 35% 5% 0%
Troctolite 60% 5% 35% 0%
Mineral composition of mare basalts[citation needed]
  Plagioclase Pyroxene Olivine Ilmenite
High titanium content 30% 54% 3% 18%
Low titanium content 30% 60% 5% 5%
Very low titanium content 35% 55% 8% 2%
Common lunar minerals
Mineral Elements Lunar rock appearance
Plagioclase feldspar Calcium (Ca)
Aluminium (Al)
Silicon (Si)
Oxygen (O) 		White to transparent gray; usually as elongated grains.
Pyroxene Iron (Fe),
Magnesium (Mg)
Calcium (Ca)
Silicon (Si)
Oxygen (O) 		Maroon to black; the grains appear more elongated in the maria and more square in the highlands.
Olivine Iron (Fe)
Magnesium (Mg)
Silicon (Si)
Oxygen (O) 		Greenish color; generally, it appears in a rounded shape.
Ilmenite Iron (Fe),
Titanium (Ti)
Oxygen (O) 		Black, elongated square crystals.

Primary igneous rocks in the lunar highlands compose three distinct groups: the ferroan anorthosite suite, the magnesian suite, and the alkali suite.

Lunar breccias, formed largely by the immense basin-forming impacts, are dominantly composed of highland lithologies because most mare basalts post-date basin formation (and largely fill these impact basins).

The ferroan anorthosite suite consists almost exclusively of the rock anorthosite (>90% calcic plagioclase) with less common anorthositic gabbro (70-80% calcic plagioclase, with minor pyroxene). The ferroan anorthosite suite is the most common group in the highlands, and is inferred to represent plagioclase flotation cumulates of the lunar magma ocean, with interstitial mafic phases formed from trapped interstitial melt or rafted upwards with the more abundant plagioclase framework. The plagioclase is extremely calcic by terrestrial standards, with molar anorthite contents of 94-96% (An94-96). This reflects the extreme depletion of the bulk moon in alkalis (Na, K) as well as water and other volatile elements. In contrast, the mafic minerals in this suite have low Mg/Fe ratios that are inconsistent with calcic plagioclase compositions. Ferroan anorthosites have been dated using the internal isochron method at "circa" 4.4 Ga.

The magnesian suite (or "mg suite") consists of dunites (>90% olivine), troctolites (olivine-plagioclase), and gabbros (plagioclase-pyroxene) with relatively high Mg/Fe ratios in the mafic minerals and a range of plagioclase compositions that are still generally calcic (An86-93). These rocks represent later intrusions into the highlands crust (ferroan anorthosite) at round 4.3-4.1 Ga. An interesting aspect of this suite is that analysis of the trace element content of plagioclase and pyroxene require equilibrium with a KREEP-rich magma, despite the refractory major element contents.

The alkali suite is so-called because of its high alkali content -- for moon rocks. The alkali suite consists of alkali anorthosites with relatively sodic plagioclase (An70-85), norites (plagioclasse-orthopyroxene), and gabbronorites (plagioclase-clinopyroxene-orthopyroxene) with similar plagioclase compositions and mafic minerals more iron-rich than the magnesian suite. The trace element contents of these minerals also indicates a KREEP-rich parent magma. The alkali suite spans an age range similar to the magnesian suite. Lunar granites are relatively rare rocks that include diorites, monzodiorites, and granophyres. They consist of quartz, plagioclase, orthoclase or alkali feldspar, rare mafics (pyroxene), and rare zircon. The alkali feldspar may have unusual compositions unlike any terrestrial feldspar, and they are often Ba-rich. These rocks apparently form by the extreme fractional crystallization of magnesian suite or alkali suite magmas, although liquid immiscibility may also play a role. U-Pb date of zircons from these rocks and from lunar soils have ages of 4.1-4.4 Ga, more or less the same as the magnesian suite and alkali suite rocks. In the 1960s, NASA researcher John A. O'Keefe and others linked lunar granites with tektites found on Earth although many researchers refuted these claims. According to one study, a portion of lunar sample 12013 has a chemistry that closely resembles javanite tektites found on Earth.

Lunar breccias range from glassy vitrophyre melt rocks, to glass-rich breccia, to regolith breccias. The vitrophyres are dominantly glassy rocks that represent impact melt sheets that fill large impact structures. They contain few clasts of the target lithology, which is largely melted by the impact. Glassy breccias form from impact melt that exit the crater and entrain large volumes of crushed (but not melted) ejecta. It may contain abundant clasts that reflect the range of lithologies in the target region, sitting in a matrix of mineral fragments plus glass that welds it all together. Some of the clasts in these breccias are pieces of older breccias, documenting a repeated history of impact brecciation, cooling, and impact. Regolith breccias resemble the glassy breccias but have little or no glass (melt) to weld them together. As noted above, the basin-forming impacts responsible for these breccias pre-date almost all mare basalt volcanism, so clasts of mare basalt are very rare. When found, these clasts represent the earliest phase of mare basalt volcanism preserved.

Mare basalts

Mare basalts are named for their frequent rate of constituting a large portion of the lunar maria; they are made of mare basalts, which are like terrestrial basalts but have many important differences. The basalts show a large negative europium anomaly. Extraordinary potassium content can be found in a specific basalt, the so-called VHK (Very High K) basalt.

Thefts: Stolen and Missing Moon Rocks

Fake Moon Rock Sales First Reported by NEA Correspondent Tom Tiede

In his November 4, 1969 article appearing in the Fort Scott Tribune entitled “Fake Lunar Rock Racket Feared” NEA Staff correspondent Tom Tiede first predicted a market for fake moon rocks, a market subsequently given extra momentum as moon rocks began to be reported lost and stolen. Tiede gave a few examples to support his prediction. “In Miami Florida a housewife had been approached by a door to door salesman dealing in lunar rocks. She bought five dollars worth.” “In Redwood City, Calif., a woman”… published an advertisement… “announcing moon dust for sale. At $1.98 an ounce.” “ In New York, the Harlem Better Business Bureau” ….was…. “cautioning consumers against purchasing any kind of obviously fake moon substances.” [4]

Moon Rock Victim of Vandalism and Possible Theft Attempt at Smithsonian

In an Aviation and Space Technology article published on September 27, 1976 entitled “Lunar Sample Damaged by Vandals” the author addresses a vandalism and possible theft attempt against a 40 gram Apollo 17 moon rock. The author states that the “Apollo 17 lunar sample on open display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum was slightly damaged…during an apparent vandalism attempt. It is possible that theft was the object of the attack on the sample, but both museum and National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials believe vandalism was the primary objective. About 2 cubic millimeters of the triangular fine-grained basalt were chipped away during the incident that involved a hard blow to the sample with a sharp object. NASA believes no part of the sample was obtained by the vandal. The area around the sample's display case was swept immediately after the incident, and the sweeper bag is now at the Johnson Space Center, where it is being sifted in an attempt to obtain the missing material.”

The author stated that ”The 40-gram sample on display is the first touchable moon rock. Museum visitors are able to feel directly the texture of the lunar material, a departure from strict NASA policy that dictates that no individual ever handle lunar samples directly as a guard against contamination. “ [5]

Twin Moon Rock Thefts in August 1986

In an August 8, 1986 article written by United Press International entitled “Police Look for Stolen Moon Rocks” the author wrote the following: “Memphis police are looking for some moon rocks taken from a NASA van that was stolen, then burned. The van was assigned to Louis Marshall of Memphis, who conducts education programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The van was stolen from outside his home Tuesday night, driven to a field and set afire, police said Friday. A space suit in the van was left to burn. But thieves took some lunar rock and soil specimens, police said. Marshall said it was hard to put a value on them. It's stuff that belongs to all of us,' he said.' I'm out of business right now,' said Marshall. It will take a while to replace the items, he said. NASA officials said that out of 384 kg (841 lb) of moon rock retrieved through the years, the sample was not a big loss. I don't know what value it would be except just to gloat over it personally,' said NASA spokesman Terry White about the theft. White said theft is not a common problem with the NASA exhibits, which are shown to schools around the country.’ I’d always thought, Who's going to mess with a big red van with NASA on it?' Marshall said.” [6] There is no indication that this theft was related to a moon rock theft that followed just a few days later in Louisiana as related in an Associated Press story appearing in the Los Angeles Time on August 18, 1986: ” A thief stole a set of six moon rocks from the Louisiana Science and Nature Center by ripping a small safe out of a wall and escaping unnoticed, officials said. Police and the FBI were investigating the Saturday theft:.” [7] As is customary with moon rock thefts NASA played down the significance of the theft. Both cases remain unsolved.

Moon Rock Con-Artists Ronald and Brian Trochelmann Plead Guilty

In an October 23, 1999 story entitled “Atlanta Man Admits Trying to Sell Bogus Moon Rock”, Reuters reported two brothers, Ronald and Brian Trochelmann, who were previously charged in 1998 in “U.S. District Court in Manhattan…”for…“a scheme to sell a phony moon rock for millions of dollars,” both plead guilty to wire fraud, a felony, for perpetrating that scheme. Their con was as follows: “The brothers claimed that their father had invented a space-food packaging process that was used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Apollo moon missions of the 1960s. The Trochelmann’s alleged that the rock had been brought from the moon by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean and given to John Glenn. They claimed Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth and later a U.S. senator, had given the rock to their father in recognition of his supposed invention.” …” Prosecutors said Trochelmann's father never invented any food packaging process used by NASA and never even met Glenn, let alone received a moon rock from him. The brothers had negotiated a consignment agreement with Phillips Son & Neale, a Manhattan auction house, to sell the rock in December 1995. However, before the auction took place, a Phillips representative told the brothers there was insufficient authentication that the rock had come from the moon. The rock was confiscated by FBI agents in December 1995 prior to the scheduled auction.” [8] This story first broke in a New York Times Article written by Lawrence Van Gelder on December 2, 1995. At that time NASA expressed the belief that the moon rock might have been real as it matched the general description of a moon rock that was stolen in 1970. “Eileen Hawley, a spokeswoman for NASA, said of the sample offered through Phillips Fine Art Auctioneers and Appraisers: We have a rock that is classified as lost, an Apollo 12 lunar sample of approximately the same weight. With that information, we need to look at this—that this might be a true lunar sample. Ms. Hawley said a rock sample collected during the Apollo 12 mission had been part of a shipment of registered and certified mail that was stolen while en route to a researcher at the University of California in Los Angeles in 1970. The space agency received a call on Thursday from the Postal Investigative Service in New York, she said, after articles about the impending auction had been published. The service passed along a tip from the retired inspector, who was not identified, about a possible connection between the theft and the rock to be auctioned.” [9] The moon rock was subsequently determined by NASA to be a phony. This scheme and schemes like it were the inspiration for the undercover sting operation known as Operation Lunar Eclipse, which resulted in the acquisition of the Honduras Goodwill Moon Rock in December 1998.[10][11]

Honduras' Goodwill Moon Rock & Operation Lunar Eclipse

In 1998, a unique Federal law enforcement undercover operation was created to identify and arrest individuals selling bogus Moon rocks. This sting operation was known as Operation Lunar Eclipse. Originally two undercover agents were involved in this sting, Senior Special Agent Joseph Gutheinz of NASA's Office of Inspector General, posing as Tony Coriasso, and Inspector Bob Cregger of the United States Postal Inspection Service, posing as John Marta. This sting operation was later expanded to include Agents from the United States Customs Service. Agents posted a quarter page advertisement in USA Today asking for Moon rocks. The Agents were targeting individuals selling bogus moon rocks, which con-artists sell to the elderly and to space enthusiasts. What they received was a solicitation to buy what turned out to be a gift President Richard Nixon gave to the people of Honduras in 1973, the Honduras Goodwill Moon Rock, one of 135 Apollo 17 moon rocks given to the nations of the world. The seller of this moon rock offered it to the undercover Agents for 5 million dollars, a huge amount for something that weighed only 1.142 grams.

After two months of negotiations, this sting operation ended up in a Bank of America vault where the Moon rock was seized. The Moon rock was then subject to a 5 year civil case known as: "United States of America v. One Lucite Ball containing Lunar Material (one Moon Rock) and One Ten Inch by Fourteen Inch Wooden Plaque". This case resulted in the forfeiture of the Moon rock to the Federal Government on March 24, 2003.[12]

After the Moon rock was officially handed back to the American Government it was sent back to Johnson Space Center where it was refurbished so that it could be once again presented to the people of Honduras, which happened on September 22, 2003 in a ceremony at NASA's Headquarters in Washington, D.C. where NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe presented the Moon rock to Ambassador Mario M. Canahuati, of Honduras. Also in attendance at this ceremony was Joseph Gutheinz, the leader of the sting operation, who gave a first hand account of the sting operation to Ambassador Canahuati. Finally on February 28, 2004, NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe flew to Honduras where he formally presented the Moon rock to Honduran president Ricardo Maduro. In 2007, Gutheinz, a past recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, was featured in the BBC Two documentary Moon for Sale talking about the Honduras Goodwill Moon Rock and this unique case.[13][14][15][16][17] [18] Today the Honduras Goodwill Moon Rock is on display at the Centro Interactivo Chiminike an education center in Tegucigalpa that receives hundreds of young student visitors per day." [19]

NASA intern theft

In June 2002, 101 grams of moon rocks were stolen from the Johnson Space Center by interns Thad Roberts and Tiffany Fowler. The pair used knowledge of the security around the rocks gained during their internship to remove a 272 kg (600 lb) safe containing the samples.[20] Roberts is a certified pilot and scuba diver who was an ambitious student pursuing degrees in Physics, Geology and Anthropology who aspired to be an astronaut.[21] Fellow interns Gordon McWhorter and Shae Saur were also later arrested for their role in the theft and attempted sale of the rocks.[22] The theft also included a meteorite that may have revealed information about life on Mars.[23]

Roberts advertised the rocks to a Belgian mineralogy club website which was forwarded to the FBI who, with the help of Belgian amateur astronomer Axel Emmermann, set up a sting in Orlando, Florida in July 2002 where Roberts and Fowler were arrested.[22] Roberts was also charged with stealing Dinosaur bones and other fossils from his school, the University of Utah.[24][25]

Cyprus Goodwill Moon Rock

Beginning in 2002, retired NASA Office of Inspector General Senior Special Agent Joseph Gutheinz began assigning his criminal justice graduate students at the University of Phoenix the task of hunting down missing Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks that President Richard Nixon gave away to the states and nations of the world in 1973 and 1974.[26] He subsequently extended this project to also cover the missing Apollo 11 moon rocks President Nixon gave to the states and nations of the world in 1969. Hundreds of graduate students have participated in this project from 2002 to present and while many moon rocks have been found, others are now known to be missing, stolen or destroyed. Gutheinz patterned this college project after Operation Lunar Eclipse, an undercover sting operation he led in 1998, while he was still with NASA. Beginning in 2002, his graduate students began reporting to him that both the Cyprus Apollo 11 moon rock (which is actually a collection of lunar dust in a Lucite ball and Cyprus Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock (a pebble size moon rock)were missing. The common belief was that both moon rocks were presented to Cyprus and subsequently destroyed or stolen during the violence and terrorism that plagued that island nation in 1973 and 1974. This violence actually included the assassination of the American Ambassador to Cyprus, Rodger P. Davies, on August 19, 1974. In September 2009, while cooperating with a worldwide hunt for moon rocks with Associated Press reporter Toby Sterling (Netherlands Bureau) and Cyprus Mail reporter Lucy Millett, the daughter of the British Ambassador to Cyprus, Gutheinz was advised by his friend and space memorabilia expert Robert Pearlman (CollectSpace.com) that Pearlman had learned in 2003 that the Cyprus Goodwill Moon Rock was never presented to Cyprus, but retained by the son of an American diplomat. The American government was advised about this situation in 2003 and did nothing. Upon learning the truth Gutheinz reached out to both the American Embassy in Cyprus and the Cyprus Government to convey the facts; he then filed a request for a Congressional Inquiry into the case of the missing Cyprus Goodwill Moon Rock. Subsequently, he caused the facts about the moon rock to be published in the press in order to motivate the person who had the moon rock to do the right thing, and return it.[27] [28][29] The diplomat’s son thereafter began negotiating with NASA's Office of Inspector General, and did so for 5 months until the Cyprus Goodwill Moon Rock was recovered. The diplomat's son's name has never been disclosed.[30] . The Cyprus Apollo 11 moon rock is still missing and still being pursued by Gutheinz’s students.

Malta’s Goodwill Moon Rock

On Tuesday May 18, 2004, Malta’s Goodwill Moon Rock was stolen from Malta’s Museum of Natural History in Mdina, in the island nation of Malta.[31] . According to an Associated Press story appearing in USA Today “there are no surveillance cameras and no custodians at the Museum of Natural History because of insufficient funding. The only attendant is the ticket-seller”… “A Maltese flag displayed next to the rock — which the U.S. astronauts had taken up with them — was not taken”[32]. Joseph Gutheinz, a retired NASA Office of Inspector General Special Agent who heads up a “Moon Rock Project” at the University of Phoenix (where he assigns his students the task of hunting down missing moon rocks), urged the Maltese authorities to grant an amnesty period to the thieves. He advised that only an amateur thief would have taken the Maltese Goodwill Moon Rock and left the plaque and flag behind, as all three together would have been self-authenticating and eliminated the risk of a geologist needing to authenticate the moon rock.[33]. Malta’s Goodwill Moon Rock has never been recovered and continues to be actively pursued.

Moon Rock Theft in Virginia Beach

On January 10, 2006, Rudo Kashiri’s, an education specialist employed by NASA was the victim of one of the most unusual auto burglarizes in history. Someone broke into her van in the middle of the night, a van that was parked in the driveway of her home in Virginia Beach, Virginia and made off with a priceless collection of NASA moon rocks. These moon rocks were in a safe contained therein, that was bolted to the van. The safe may or may not have been properly locked. As an Education Specialist for NASA Kashiri’s job was to bring the moon rocks to schools and show them to students.[34][35] These moon rocks have never been recovered.

Romania’s Goodwill Moon Rock & The Christmas Day Executions

Beginning in 2002 members of the Moon Rock Project at the University of Phoenix, a graduate level criminal justice project where student are assigned to hunt down unaccounted moon rocks to develop investigative skills, began to unravel evidence that the Romania Goodwill Moon Rock may have been auctioned off by the estate of its executed former leader, Nicolae Ceausescu.[36] Both Nicole Ceausescu and his wife, Elena Ceausescu, were executed by firing squad on Christmas Day, December 25, 1989, for the crime of genocide.[37][38]. As late as 2009, Romania believed it only received one moon rock from the Nixon Administration, the Apollo 11 moon rock, and took issue with those who argued otherwise.[39] Joseph Gutheinz, a retired NASA OIG Senior Special Agent, now Professor, who overseas the Moon Rock Project provided Daniel Ionascu of the Jurnalul information from the U.S. National Archives which showed that the Romanian Goodwill Moon Rock was in fact presented to Romania.[40] Romania’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock is at the National History Museum in Bucharest. Graduate student who participate in the Moon Rock Project continue to hunt down Romania’s (Apollo 17) Goodwill Moon Rock.

Canada’s Goodwill Moon Rock

After 30 years of sitting in storage in the Canadian Museum of Nature the Canadian Goodwill Moon Rock finally went on display at the Canadian Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa Canada, on July 23, 2009.[41] . However, that fact is the least interesting part of the story. According to Pete McMartin, a reporter for the Vancouver Sun, in 1972 Jayme Matthews was then only 13 years old and had lied about his age in order to compete in an essay contest, the winner of which would serve as participate in a “10-day International Youth Science Tour, in which all the countries in the United Nations were invited to offer up “youth ambassadors” aged 17 to 21. These youth ambassadors were to witness first-hand the launch in Florida...” of Apollo 17…” Eighty countries accepted the invitation,” to include Canada. Matthews who is now an Astronomy Professor at the University of British Columbia won the contest, and when his true age came out, Canada decided to let him go anyway. As he was a student Ambassador to the launch of Apollo 17 it was decided that he should be the recipient of the Goodwill Moon Rock for the people of Canada, and so the 5 million dollar moon rock was mailed to him, and for several months this 13 year old kept it at his home. Eventually he was asked to turn the moon rock over to Canada, which he did. He was subsequently notified that the Canadian Goodwill Moon Rock was stolen in 1978, while it was on tour.[42] Beginning in 2002, criminal justice graduate students at the University of Phoenix began participating in the Moon Rock Project where they were each tasked by their Professor to hunt down an Apollo 11 Moon Rock or an Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock President Nixon gave to the states and nations of the world. In 2003, a couple of these graduate students tracked down the Canadian Goodwill Moon Rock to a storage facility at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Canada, and in so doing, brought to a close the belief that this moon rock had been stolen. From 2003 to 2009, a number of graduate students in the Moon Rock Project and their Professor argued that this moon rock should be placed back on display, and when Canada failed to do this by the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, the students and Professor received widespread support in Canada for their position.[43]

Ireland’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock

Cleo Luff, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down Ireland’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock by her professor, Joseph Gutheinz, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students are assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. Luff’s investigation, as reported by both CollectSpace.com and The Facts Newspaper revealed that the Irish Apollo 11 soil sample that President Nixon gave to the people or Ireland was accidentally discarded in a landfill known as the Finglas Dump after a fire consumed the room it was housed in at the National Museum of Ireland in October 1977. President Nixon gave 135 nations of the world each an Apollo 11 gift, which resemble 4 small pebbles in a Lucite ball, but are in actuality four small collections of lunar dust. It is common to call this gift a moon rock.[44] .[45]. In a related story written by Warren Swords of the Irish Mail on Sunday Professor Gutheinz is quoted first critiquing the poor security the Irish Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock currently enjoys at the National Museum of Ireland, which he considers ripe for theft. He also advised that the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock was given to Irish President Erskine Childers by the Nixon Administration, and subsequently President Childers died in office. When the widow of President Chiders, Rita Dudley Childers, asked for the Irish Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock as a keepsake of her late husband, this very popular first lady’s request was denied, as the Irish Government reasoned the Irish Goodwill Moon Rock belonged to the people of Ireland and not just one individual.[46].

Spain’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock: Francisco Franco

Beginning in 2003 members of the Moon Rock Project at the University of Phoenix, a graduate level criminal justice project where student are assigned the task of hunting down unaccounted moon rocks to develop investigative skills, began to develop evidence that both Spain’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, that were given to the General Francisco Franco’s Administration by the Nixon Administration, were missing. Paublo Jauregui, the Science Editor of Elmundo, a Spanish newspaper, disclosed in a July 20, 2009 story entitled: “Franco’s grandson: My mother lost Moon stone given her by Grandfather”, that the Spanish Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock had finally been given back to the people of Spain in 2007 by the family of Admiral Luis Carrero; and Juaregui suggest the Spain’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock, as referenced in the title of the story, was last known to be in the Franco’s families hands, and is now unaccounted for. Jauregui wrote, as translated: “As for the stone that Kissinger gave Carrero Blanco, confirmed yesterday” by “the son of …Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco”… “the stone was in possession of the family (first in the home of his widow, and after that of his eldest son ), until in 2007 they decided to donate the Naval Museum, where it is”…on display…. “today, along with a Spanish flag which traveled aboard the Apollo 17 mission to the moon. ” My son told me that the gift was dedicated to 'Spanish people', so it seemed right to donate it," recalls Luis Carrero Blanco.” Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco was assassinated while in Office by the ETA, a terrorist organization. Note: While it is likely the Spanish flag referenced in the article flew in space it is not likely it was on the Apollo 17 mission.

As for Spain’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock the trail is more confused. Jauregui relates the following from Franco’s grandson: “The grandson of Franco stressed that neither he nor any other member of his family”…had been told…. “that there might be some legal or ethical problem”…regarding …"the Moonstone….” "If you get anything and it's yours, why not going (Translation) to sell?" He said. “ In any case the rock never sold, but according to Franco, now" he does "not know where it is. As my mother is a woman with many things in many houses, in a move or redecorate a room, in the end had to go astray," he explains.[47].[48] Students assigned to the Moon Rock Project are currently looking for leads to Spain’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock in Switzerland.[49]

Dutch Moon Rock Proven to be a Fake

In his August 28, 2009 Associated Press story appearing in the Brisbane Times, Toby Sterling recounted how a spokesman for the Dutch National Museum acknowledged on August 26, 2009, “that one of its prized possessions, a rock supposedly brought back from the moon by”…Apollo 11… “US astronauts, is just a piece of petrified wood..”… “The museum acquired the rock after the death of former prime minister Willem Dreesman in 1988. Dreesman received it as a private gift on October 9, 1969 from then-US ambassador J. William Middendorf during a visit by the three Apollo 11 astronauts, part of their ‘Giant Leap’ goodwill tour after the first moon landing.” The museum acknowledged that though they did vet the moon rock they failed to double check it.[50] . The museum was under the incorrect belief that this moon rock was one of the 135 Apollo 11 moon rocks that were presented to the nations of the world by the Nixon Administration.[51]

West Virginia Goodwill Moon Rock: Governor Arch Moore

Sandra Shelton, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the West Virginia Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock by her professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This moon rock was presented to West Virginia in 1974 and is valued at 5 million dollars. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students were assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. On May 16, 2010 Rick Steelhammer of the Gazette-Mail of Charleston, West Virginia wrote a front page story documenting Sandra Shelton's investigative findings which revealed that the West Virginia Goodwill Moon Rock was missing.[52] . Predicated on that news story retired dentist Robert Conner called Ms. Shelton and told her that he had the West Virginia Goodwill Moon Rock. Ms. Shelton informed her professor who advised the Governor's Office. Dr. Conner advised that his deceased brother was the former business partner of former West Virginia Governor Arch A. Moore, Jr., and that Conner acquired the moon rock upon the death of his brother, from his brothers belongings.[53][54] In her June 29 story appearing in the Denver Post reporter Sarah Horn wrote that "Shelton was honored by the state for her detective work.". Shelton was awarded a certificate by the Governor of West Virginia, Joe Manchin, lll, for her role in recovering the West Virginia Goodwill Moon Rock.[55]

Colorado's Goodwill Moon Rock: Governor John Vanderhoof

Richard Kevin Griffis, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the Colorado Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock by his professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students were assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. On June 1, 2010, Colleen O'Connor of the Denver Post wrote a front page story documenting Richard Griffis' investigative findings, findings which revealed that Colorado's Goodwill Moon Rock was missing.[56] . Predicated on that news story former Governor John Vanderhoof, age 88, was asked about the moon rock and acknowledged he had it in his personal possession. He also stated he would give it back to the state.[57]. The Colorado School of the Mines Museum, in Golden Colorado, was selected to house the Colorado Goodwill Moon Rock.[58].On August 25, 2010, the Colorado Goodwill Moon Rock was unveiled at the Colorado School of the Mines Museum by Dr. Bruce Geller, the museum curator. In an article written by Colleen O'Connor the following was said about the moon rock: "A rock from the moon is about as priceless as anything I know, said retired Vice Adm. Richard Truly, the first former astronaut to head NASA. Even though it's teeny-weeny, it's very symbolic." [59]. Professor Joseph Gutheinz of the Moon Rock Project provided the Colorado School of the Mines an estimated value for the moon rock, for insurance purposes, prior to the moon rock being placed on display.

North Carolina’s Goodwill Moon Rock: Professor Christopher Brown

After years of speculation about the location of North Carolina’s Goodwill Moon Rock that mystery has finally been resolved. According to a story written by Jay Price of the News Observer entitled "State’s elusive moon rock soon to become a big star", on Tuesday July 27, 2010, Professor Christopher Brown of the University of North Carolina turned the moon rock over, along with related items, to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences where it hopefully will go on display. The article continues: “In 2003,…a colleague of”… Prof. Brown…” took a new post at the state Commerce Department and found the plaque with the now-unglued rock and”…a … "letter when he opened the drawers of his new desk. He asked permission to lend them to Brown, an associate vice chancellor and director of the N.C. Space Grant, a consortium of 11 universities and the community college system that, among other things, awards NASA-funded scholarships. Brown often makes presentations on space and space-related science.” Brown took charge of the moon rock and showed it to students over the next several years. Professor Joseph Gutheinz of the University of Phoenix has assigned graduate students in the past to hunt down North Carolina’s Goodwill Moon Rock, as part of his “Moon Rock Project”, and his students had previously documented the states lack of knowledge and documentation as to the whereabouts of its Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock. Robert Pearlman the Editor and owner of CollectSpace.com said: Thefts and the growing realization of the value of the rocks are leading some states to pull theirs off exhibition”. “Gutheinz said that despite the risks and costs, it's crucial that states share the rocks with the public. What you're seeing”…with respect to the moon rocks… “is a fragment of the dream that Kennedy had, of going to the moon and making a truly American kind of accomplishment, he said. “ [60]

New Jersey’s Goodwill Moon Rock

Jaime Burgos, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the New Jersey Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock by his professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students were assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. On May 19, 2010, Elise Young of the Record Newspaper wrote a front page story documenting Jaime Burgos' investigative findings, findings which revealed that New Jersey’s Goodwill Moon Rock was missing. The experts and politicians in New Jersey who should have known where the moon rocks was, including former New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne, had no idea of where it was, or of the state even receiving it.[61] One of the problems that graduate students investigating Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks have encountered is very few states or nations have done an adequate job, if any, of maintaining a chain of custody on these multi-million dollar pieces of history, that are each billions of years old.

Alaska’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock

Elizabeth Riker , a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the Alaska Apollo 11 Moon Rock by his professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing graduate project known as the Moon Rock Project, where students are assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. On August 18, 2010, in a story she wrote about her investigation in the Capital City Weekly newspaper, of Juneau Alaska, she stated that after conducting a thorough investigation for Alaska's Apollo 11 Moon Rock she has concluded that it is missing. She advised that she planned to continue to look for the moon rock and asked for the help of the citizens of Alaska to accomplish her goal of finding it.[62][63]

New York’s Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock and Apollo 11 Moon Rock

Lisa Moore, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the New York Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock and New York’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock, the two official gifts the Nixon Administration presented to the State of New York. Lisa Moore received this assignment from her professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students were assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. On December 3, 2009, Sean Ahern of the Spotlight News wrote a front page story documenting Lisa Moore's investigative findings, findings which revealed that New York’s Goodwill Moon Rock was located by Moore, not on display but in storage in the New York State Museum in Albany. “Michael Hawkins, geology collections manager at the museum” said “New York’s Apollo 17 Goodwill moon rock, which had been on display at the New York State Museum, was taken from view five years ago when the country of Malta’s moon rock was stolen. It had a value of $5 million, so we had it locked up with the other high-risk pieces,” said Hawkins. “It would be onerous to put a security guard on it at all times.” Hawkins said that something that is extremely valuable should be kept extremely safe, and the moon rock would not be put on display unless it was under the protection of guards.”[64]. In her December 17, 2009 Op/Ed appearing in the Illinois Times, wherein Lisa Moore recounts how she was instrumental in causing the Illinois moon rocks to be taken out of storage and placed on display, she also disclosed that her investigation of New York’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock reveals that it is missing or worse.[65]

South Dakota’s Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock and Apollo 11 Moon Rock

Sarah Little, a crime scene investigator and a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the South Dakota Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, an official gift the Nixon Administration presented to South Dakota. Sarah Little received this assignment from her professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students are assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. Sarah Little wrote a story that was published in the American News Newspaper where she detailed her investigative findings. Little discerned that the South Dakota Goodwill Moon Rock is missing, and that South Dakota is devoid of a paper trail showing where it might be. However, in the Process of investigating the whereabouts of the South Dakota Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock she found the South Dakota Apollo 11 Moon Rock safe and sound in the South Dakota Historical Society Museum in Pierre, South Dakota.[66] [67]

Oregon’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock

Toni Dowdell, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the Oregon Apollo 11 Moon Rock while two of her teammates were charged with hunting down the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks of Oregon and Louisiana. Toni Dowdell and her two teammates received this assignment from her professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students are assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over America and the world. In a February 19, 2010 article Toni Dowdell wrote for the Daily News of Greenville Michigan, Dowdell described how here teammates in this investigation discerned that both the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks of Oregon and of Louisiana remain unaccounted for, but how she successfully tracked down her assigned moon rock, the Oregon Apollo 11 Moon Rock. As with many moon rock gifts the Nixon Administration gave to the states and the nations of the world the first problem she encountered was a lack of a document trail. However, by reaching out to people, to include an operator in the state Capitol, she found the moon rock hidden in the ceremonial Governor’s Office of Oregon.[68]

Montana’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock

Adeola Egbeyemi, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the Montana Apollo 11 Moon Rock and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock; two official gifts given by the Nixon Administration to Montana. Adeola Egbeyemi was given this assignment from her professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students are assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. Adeola Egbeyemi wrote a story that was published in the Montana Standard where she detailed her investigative findings, and expressed her dissatisfaction over where she ultimately found the moon rocks. She wrote: “The Montana State Apollo 11 and 17 moon rocks are currently at Montana Historical Society in Helena, but they are not on display but rather stored away, offering no inspiration or joy to the boys and girls of Montana.” She said. “I hope that every moon rock given away and now missing is found, secured and put on display for all to see.” A type of moon rocks are mare soil. Which is sediment on the surface of the moon. [69]

Nevada’s Goodwill Moon Rock

Evan Schwartz, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, was assigned the task of hunting down the Nevada Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, a gift the Nixon Administration presented to the State of Nevada. Schwartz received this assignment from her professor, a retired Senior Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General. This assignment was part of an ongoing assignment known as the Moon Rock Project, where students were assigned the task of hunting down moon rocks all over the world. Evan Schwartz was asked to write a story for Nevada Magazine about his investigation which was published in the September/October 2009 edition of that magazine. The story was entitled “Nevada’s Goodwill Moon Rock: What happened to the Silver State’s Gift from President Nixon and the Apollo 17 astronauts.” Schwartz describes how frustrating investigating the moon rock was, as at first he ran into weeks of dead ends, then he was fortunate enough to have three museum curator’s who each helped him track the moon rock down. With their help he tracked the moon rock down to a storage facility at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. While Schwartz was grateful that the moon rock was in safe keeping, unlike many, he expressed concern that the moon rock was not on display.[70].

Hawaii’s Moon Rocks: Lost and Found

In 2009, criminal justice graduate students in Professor Joseph Gutheinz’s graduate class at the University of Phoenix were frustrated as they were unable to find either Hawaii’s Apollo 11 Moon Rock or Hawaii’s Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, two moon rocks that the Nixon Administration gave to Hawaii. Gutheinz, decided to investigate himself, and in so doing contacted Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle’s Office whose personnel stated they didn’t have the moon rocks and suggested the Hawaii’s State Archives might have them. The State Archives said they didn’t have them nor did they have any information on them. Gutheinz then contacted every museum and university in the state as well as the state capitol, and each time was given the same information. Hawaii, did not have an inventory control system for an estimated $10 million dollars in moon rocks and no one knew where they were.[71] In his January 11, 2010 article Will Hoover reporting for the Honolulu Advertiser said that “both moon rocks had been found in a routine inventory of gifts given to the governor’s office over the years” The moon rocks were found in a locked cabinet in the Governor’s Office. Gutheinz expressed appreciation that the moon rocks were found but still expressed concern that the state did not know where the moon rocks were until they came across them. Lenny Klompus, a senior adviser to the Governor” said the security of the Hawaii moon rocks is about to be ramped up. For reasons he said he did not know, the valuable lunar specimens have never been registered with the state Foundation of Cultural Arts. ‘Were about to do that”, he said. “The Foundation should have these and have them numbered and put into the category of precious pieces”.[72]

Missouri’s Goodwill Moon Rock

The sloppy inventory control system that the states and nations maintain for the Apollo 11 Moon Rocks and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks that President Richard Nixon gifted to nations and states alike was pointed out in two stories appearing in the Columbia Daily Tribune. The first story entitled “Moon Rocks Weren’t Lost-Just Shelved” was written by Columbia Tribune reporter Janese Heaven and published on May 28, 2010. In that story she reported information she was provided by employees with the Missouri State Museum and the Missouri State Department of Natural Resources, that information was that they had the Missouri Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, a fact at least one of the persons she talked to was reported as saying they knew all along .[73] According to reporter Janese Silvey of the Columbia Daily Tribune]] in her June 8, 2010 story entitled “Moon Rocks discovery a false alarm: Apollo 17 keepsake still missing after all” she wrote that “Joseph Gutheinz, a former special agent with NASA’s Office of Inspector General, saw the photo” … in the May 28th, 2010 story… “and pointed out the discrepancy.” “Turns out the photo was rocks from the Apollo 11 mission-not the Apollo 17 moon rock given as goodwill gifts to all 50 states and 135 foreign countries.” According to the story Senator Kit Bond, who was the Governor of Missouri when the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock was gifted to the state, reportedly stated that he has no recollection of receiving a moon rock. The Missouri State Archives and now the State Museum, reversing what they had previously stated, have no information on Missouri having the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock. At present the Missouri Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock is presumed missing.[74][75]

Oklahoma and Pennsylvania are Examples of States Doing the Right Thing

Of the 270 Apollo 11 Moon Rocks and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks that were given to the nations of the world by the Nixon Administration approximately 180 are currently unaccounted for, missing or worse. Of the 100 Apollo 11 Moon Rocks and Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks given to the states by the Nixon Administration, approximately 33 are currently unaccounted for, missing or worse. Many of the moon rocks that are accounted for have been locked way in storage for decades, depriving generations of their right to participate in a moon rock experience. However, there are a few states and nations that are doing the right thing by both of their moon rock gifts, even though their inventory control systems have often proven to be weaker than they should be. Here are two examples:

Martinique Wilkins, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, and a participant in the “Moon Rock Project”, was assigned the task of hunting down the Pennsylvania Apollo 11 Moon Rock, a gift given to Gov. Raymond P. Shafer for the people of Pennsylvania by President Nixon. After experiencing some initial difficulty in finding an item given to the state 40 years earlier she not only found that moon rock but also the Pennsylvania Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, a gift given to Gov. Milton Shapp by NASA astronauts, again, not for his personal enrichment but for the enjoyment of the people of Pennsylvania. As it turns out her double find was not hidden away in storage, as many are, but has been on display since shortly after being gifted to the state. They are both on display at the Pennsylvania State Museum.[76]. .[77].

Rose Niang-Casey, a graduate student at the University of Phoenix, and a participant in the “Moon Rock Project”, was assigned the task of hunting down the Oklahoma Apollo 11 Moon Rock. What she found was not only the Oklahoma Apollo 11 Moon Rock but also the Oklahoma Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, two moon rocks the Nixon Administration gifted to the people of Oklahoma. In both cases these moon rocks were properly on display at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This is an exception to the rule, as most of these unique gifts have been poorly handled over the years.[78]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lunar samples.

References

Cited references

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  2. ^ H. Hiesinger, J. W. Head, U. Wolf, R. Jaumanm, and G. Neukum, H. (2003). "Ages and stratigraphy of mare basalts in Oceanus Procellarum, Mare Numbium, Mare Cognitum, and Mare Insularum". J. Geophys. Res. 108: 5065. doi:10.1029/2002JE001985.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "US returns moon rock to Honduras". BBC News. September 23, 2003. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  4. ^ “Fake Lunar Rock Racket Feared” Fort Scott Tribune, Tom Tiede, November 4, 1969.
  5. ^ [ “Lunar Sample Damaged by vandals"] Aviation Week & Space Technology, Page 16, September 27, 1976.
  6. ^ [ “Police Look for Stolen Moon Rocks "] United Press International, August 8, 1986.
  7. ^ [ “Six Moon Rocks Stolen from New Orleans Center "] The Associated Press, August 18, 1986.
  8. ^ " Atlanta Man Admits Trying to Sell Bogus Moon Rock " Reuters, Published in Space.com, October 23, 1999.
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  11. ^ " Hunting Moon Rocks" Alvin Sun Advertise, Judy Zavalla, November 4, 2009.
  12. ^ "Honduran Official Led in Soccer War." Wall Street Journal, Stephen Miller, May 18, 2010.
  13. ^ Moon for Sale BBC Two Horizon Documentary, April 10, 2007
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  23. ^ Sheer Lunacy - Los Angeles Times
  24. ^ Kanaley, Reid (29-OCT-03). [Moon rock thief sentenced to more than eight years in prison. "Moon rock thief sentenced to more than eight years in prison"]. Financial Times Ltd. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "THE CASE OF THE STOLEN MOON ROCKS: Last of 3 NASA interns sentenced for grievous theft". Federal Bureau of Investigation. 11/08/2003. Retrieved 2009-05-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ In Search of the Goodwill Moon Rocks: A Personal Account Geotimes Magazine. November 2004.
  27. ^ Moon rocks went missing around the world. Cyprus Mail, by Lucy Millett, September 17 , 2009.
  28. ^ [http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/cyprus-victim-lunar-larceny Cyprus a victim of lunar larceny]. Cyprus Mail, by Lucy Millett, September 18 , 2009.
  29. ^ US Congress may look into missing Cyprus moon rock . Cyprus Mail, by Lucy Millett, September 18 , 2009.
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  42. ^ "UBC astronomy professor kept moon rock for several months" Vancouver Sun, Pete McMartin, July 17, 2009.
  43. ^ " Former NASA official outraged no plans to display Canada's moon rock" The Canadian Press, Pat Hewitt and Amy Fuller, July 20, 2009.
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  46. ^ ["Houston to Dublin You have a problem"] Irish Mail on Sunday, Warren Swords, April 22, 2007.
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  51. ^ "Fake Moon Rock Discovery Prompts Security Questions" The Associated Press, Toby Sterling, September 14, 2009.
  52. ^ [ "The Case of the Missing Moon Rock: Graduate Student looks for Apollo 17 Gift from Nixon"] Gazette Mail, May 16, 2010.
  53. ^ " Second moon rock discovered in West Virginia" The Daily Sentinel, June 5, 2010.
  54. ^ " Long-missing W.Va. moon rock believed found in Morgantown" Sunday Gazette Mail, June 5, 2010.
  55. ^ " Recovered Colorado moon rock finds home at School of Mines" The Denver Post, June 29, 2010.
  56. ^ "Moon rocks given to Colorado have vanished" Denver Post, June 1, 2010.
  57. ^ "Missing rocks traveled from the moon to former governor's home office" Denver Post, June 2. 2010.
  58. ^ " Recovered Colorado moon rock finds home at School of Mines" The Denver Post, June 29, 2010.
  59. ^ [http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_15896027 "Apollo 17 moon rocks land in Mines museum "] The Denver Post,Colleen O'Connor, August 26, 2010.
  60. ^ "State’s elusive moon rock soon to become a big star" The News Observer, Jay Price, July 28, 2010.
  61. ^ " Trenton, we have a problem: NJ’s souvenir moon rock missing since 1970s " The Record Newspaper, May 19, 2010.
  62. ^ " Searching for Alaska's lost lunar treasure" The Capital City Weekly, Elizabeth Riker, August 18, 2010.
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  64. ^ “The Dark Side of the Moon" The Spotlight News, December 3, 2009.
  65. ^ “Discovering Moon Rocks in Illinois" The Illinois Times, December 17, 2009.
  66. ^ “Student’s search remains rocky" American News, Sarah Little, April 4, 2010.
  67. ^ “Have you seen S.D. Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock" In the Huddle, Sarah Little, April 5, 2010.
  68. ^ [http://www.thedailynews.cc/Main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=11&ArticleID=32846 Search for the "missing" Apollo 11 moon rocks “"] The Daily News, Toni Dowdell, February 19, 2010.
  69. ^ “The Hunt for MT’s Moon Rocks" Montana Standard, Adeola Egbeyemi, January 4, 2010.
  70. ^ “Nevada’s Goodwill Moon Rock: What happened to the Silver State’s Gift from President Nixon and the Apollo 17 astronauts." Nevada Magazine, Evan Schwartz, September/October, 2009.
  71. ^ "State fails to account for priceless moon rocks" The Maui News (a Reprint from the Honolulu Advertiser), Will Hoover, October 24, 2009.
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  73. ^ "Moon Rocks Weren’t Lost-Just Shelved" [[Columbia Daily Tribune, May 28, 2010.
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  75. ^ “Missouri State Museum Doesn't Have Apollo 17 Rock” Associated Press (The News Courier), July 9, 2010.
  76. ^ the moon to Harrisburg: moon rocks land at state museum" Patriot News (Op/Ed), Martinique Wilkins , December 27, 2009.
  77. ^ “Pennsylvania knows where its moon rocks are; few other recipients do" Patriot News (Page 1), T.W. Burger , December 26, 2009.
  78. ^ “Moon Rock Hunt Ends in State: A Michigan Student's Assignment Leads Her to the Oklahoma History Center, Which Possesses Two" Tulsa World, Deon Hampton , December 21, 2009.

General references

  • Marc Norman (April 21, 2004). "The Oldest Moon Rocks". Planetary Science Research Discoveries.
  • Paul D. Spudis, The Once and Future Moon, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996, ISBN 1-56098-634-4.
  • Louis Varricchio,Inconstant Moon, Xlibris Books, 2006, ISBN 1-59926-393-9.
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