Moon rock orlunar rock is rock originating fromEarth's Moon. This includes lunar material collected during the course of humanexploration of the Moon, and rock that has been ejected naturally from the Moon's surface and landed on Earth aslunar meteorites.
Moon rocks on Earth come from four sources: those collected by sixUnited StatesApollo program crewed lunar landings from 1969 to 1972; those collected by threeSoviet uncrewedLuna probes in the 1970s; those collected by theChinese Lunar Exploration Program's uncrewed probes; and rocks that were ejected naturally from the lunar surface before falling to Earth aslunar meteorites.
Six Apollo missions collected 2,200 samples of material weighing 381 kilograms (840 lb) through the use of theApollo Lunar Sample Return Container,[1] and processed into more than 110,000 individually cataloged samples.[2]
| Mission | Site | Sample mass returned[1] | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo 11 | Mare Tranquillitatis | 21.55 kg (47.51 lb) | 1969 |
| Apollo 12 | Ocean of Storms | 34.30 kg (75.62 lb) | 1969 |
| Apollo 14 | Fra Mauro formation | 42.80 kg (94.35 lb) | 1971 |
| Apollo 15 | Hadley–Apennine | 76.70 kg (169.10 lb) | 1971 |
| Apollo 16 | Descartes Highlands | 95.20 kg (209.89 lb) | 1972 |
| Apollo 17 | Taurus–Littrow | 110.40 kg (243.40 lb) | 1972 |
Three Luna spacecraft returned with 301 grams (10.6 oz) of samples.[3][4][5]
| Mission | Site | Sample mass returned | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luna 16 | Mare Fecunditatis | 101 g (3.6 oz)[6] | 1970 |
| Luna 20 | Mare Fecunditatis | 30 g (1.1 oz)[7] | 1972 |
| Luna 24 | Mare Crisium | 170 g (6.0 oz)[8] | 1976 |
The Soviet Union abandoned its attempts at acrewed lunar program in the 1970s, but succeeded in landing three roboticLuna spacecraft with the capability to collect and return small samples to Earth. A combined total of less than half a kilogram of material was returned.
In 1993, three small rock fragments fromLuna 16, weighing 200 mg, were sold forUS$ 442,500 atSotheby's (equivalent to $963,184 in 2024).[9] In 2018, the same three Luna 16 rock fragments sold forUS$ 855,000 at Sotheby's (equivalent to $1,070,620 in 2024).[10]
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| Mission | Site | Sample mass returned | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chang'e 5 | Mons Rümker | 1,731 g (3.8 lb)[11] | 2020 |
| Chang'e 6 | SouthernApollo crater | 1,935.3 g (4.3 lb)[12][13] | 2024 |
In 2020,Chang'e 5, the fifthlunar exploration mission of theChinese Lunar Exploration Program, returned approximately 1,731 g (61.1 oz) of rocks and dust from the Oceanus Procellarum, (the Ocean of Storms), the largest dark region on the Moon, visible on the western edge.[14] The Chang'e-5 samples contain 'perplexing combination' of minerals and include the sixth new lunar mineral, named Changesite-(Y). This phosphate mineral characterized by colorless, transparent columnar crystals.[14] Researchers estimated the peak pressure (11-40 GPa) and impact duration (0.1-1.0 second) of the collision that shaped the sample. Using shock wave models, they estimated the resulting crater to be between 3 and 32 kilometers wide, depending on the impact angle.[15]
The follow-up mission to Chang'e 5,Chang'e 6, reached the Moon on May 8, 2024, and entered lunar orbit for 20 days to find an appropriate landing site.[12] On 1 June 2024, the lander separated from the orbiter and landed on a mare unit at the southern part of the Apollo crater (36.1°S, 208.3°E).[16] The mission objective was to collect about 2 kg of material from thefar side of the Moon and bring it back to Earth.
The Chang’e-6 probe withstood the high temperatures and collected the samples by drilling into the Moon's surface and scooping soil and rocks with a mechanical arm, according to a statement from theChina National Space Administration (CNSA).[17]
The samples were placed in the ascent vehicle, which docked with the Chang'e 6 orbiter-return vehicle on June 6, 2024[12] China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe, carrying the first lunar rocks ever collected from the far side of the Moon, landed inChina's Inner Mongolia region on June 25, 2024.
More than 370 lunar meteorites have been collected on Earth,[18] representing more than 30 different meteoritefinds (nofalls), with a total mass of over 1,090 kilograms (2,400 lb).[19] Some were discovered by scientific teams (such asANSMET) searching for meteorites inAntarctica, with most of the remainder discovered by collectors in the desert regions of northernAfrica andOman. A Moon rock known as "NWA 12691", which weighs 13.5 kilograms (30 lb), was found in theSahara Desert at the Algerian and Mauritanian borders in January 2017,[20] and went on sale for $2.5 million in 2020.[21]
Rocks from the Moon have been measured byradiometric dating techniques. They range in age from about 3.16 billion years old for thebasaltic samples derived from thelunar maria, up to about 4.44 billion years old for rocks derived from the highlands.[22] Based on the age-dating technique of "crater counting," the youngest basaltic eruptions are believed to have occurred about 1.2 billion years ago,[23] but scientists do not possess samples of these lavas. In contrast, theoldest ages of rocks from the Earth are between 3.8 and 4.28 billion years.
| Mineral | Elements | Lunar rock appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Plagioclasefeldspar | Calcium (Ca) Aluminium (Al) Silicon (Si) Oxygen (O) | White totransparent 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. |
Moon rocks fall into two main categories: those found in the lunar highlands (terrae), and those in themaria. The terrae consist dominantly ofmaficplutonic rocks. Regolithbreccias with similarprotoliths are also common. Mare basalts come in three distinct series in direct relation to their titanium content:high-Ti basalts, low-Ti basalts, andVery Low-Ti (VLT) basalts.
Almost all lunar rocks are depleted involatiles and are completely lacking inhydrated minerals common in Earth rocks. In some regards, lunar rocks are closely related to Earth's rocks in their isotopic composition of the elementoxygen. The Apollo Moon rocks were collected using a variety of tools, includinghammers,rakes,scoops,tongs, andcore tubes. Most were photographed prior to collection to record the condition in which they were found. They were placed inside sample bags and then aSpecial 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 mineralanorthite. The mare basalts have relatively highiron values. Furthermore, some of the mare basalts have very high levels oftitanium (in the form ofilmenite).[25]
| Plagioclase | Pyroxene | Olivine | Ilmenite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anorthosite | 90% | 5% | 5% | 0% |
| Norite | 60% | 35% | 5% | 0% |
| Troctolite | 60% | 5% | 35% | 0% |
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 highlandlithologies because most mare basalts post-date basin formation (and largely fill these impact basins).
| Plagioclase | Pyroxene | Olivine | Ilmenite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hightitanium content | 30% | 54% | 3% | 18% |
| Lowtitanium content | 30% | 60% | 5% | 5% |
| Very lowtitanium content | 35% | 55% | 8% | 2% |
Mare basalts are named as such because they frequently constitute large portions of thelunar maria. These typically contain 18–21 percentFeO by weight, and 1–13 percentTiO2. They are similar to terrestrial basalts, but have many important differences; for example, mare basalts show a large negativeeuropium anomaly. The type location isMare Crisium sampled byLuna 24.
The main repository for the Apollo Moon rocks is theLunar Sample Laboratory Facility at theLyndon B. Johnson Space Center inHouston, Texas. For safekeeping, there is also a smaller collection stored atWhite Sands Test Facility inLas Cruces, New Mexico. Most of the rocks are stored in nitrogen to keep them free of moisture. They are handled only indirectly, using special tools.
Some Moon rocks from the Apollo missions are displayed in museums, and a few allow visitors to touch them. One of these, called theTouch Rock, is displayed in theSmithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.[28] The idea of having touchable Moon rocks at a museum was suggested by Apollo scientistFarouk El-Baz, who was inspired by his childhoodpilgrimage to Mecca where he touched theBlack Stone (which inIslam is believed to be sent down from the heavens).[29]
Moon rocks collected during the course of lunar exploration are currently considered priceless.[28] In 2002, a safe was stolen from the Lunar Sample Building that contained minute samples of lunar andMartian material. The samples were recovered, and NASA estimated their value during the ensuing court case at about $1 million for 10 oz (280 g) of material.[citation needed]
Naturally transported Moon rocks in the form of lunar meteorites are sold and traded among private collectors.[citation needed]
Apollo 17 astronautsEugene Cernan andHarrison Schmitt picked up a rock "composed of many fragments, of many sizes, and many shapes, probably from all parts of the Moon". This rock was later labeled sample 70017.[30] President Nixon ordered that fragments of that rock should be distributed in 1973 to all 50 US states and 135 foreign heads of state. The fragments were presented encased in an acrylic sphere, mounted on a wood plaque which included the recipients' flag which had also flown aboard Apollo 17.[31] Many of the presentation Moon rocks are now unaccounted for,having been stolen or lost.
Three minerals were discovered from the Moon:armalcolite,tranquillityite, andpyroxferroite. Armalcolite was named for the threeastronauts on theApollo 11 mission:Armstrong,Aldrin andCollins.
Because of their rarity on Earth and the difficulty of obtaining more, Moon rocks have been frequent targets oftheft andvandalism, and many have gone missing or were stolen.
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The drill was deployed and penetrated to a depth of 35 cm before encountering hard rock or large fragments of rock. The column of regolith in the drill tube was then transferred to the soil sample container... the hermetically sealed soil sample container, lifted off from the Moon carrying 101 grams of collected material
Luna 20 was launched from the lunar surface on 22 February 1972 carrying 30 grams of collected lunar samples in a sealed capsule
the mission successfully collected 170.1 grams of lunar samples and deposited them into a collection capsule
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