TheDelaware lunar sample displays are twocommemorative plaques consisting of small fragments ofMoon specimen brought back with theApollo 11 andApollo 17 lunar missions and given in the 1970s to the people of the state ofDelaware by United States PresidentRichard Nixon as goodwill gifts.
At the request of Nixon,NASA had about 250 presentation plaques made followingApollo 11 in 1969. Each included about four rice-sized particles ofMoon dust from the mission totaling about 50 mg.[1][2] The Apollo 11 lunar sample display has an acrylic plastic button containing the Moon dust mounted with the recipient's country or state flag that had been to the Moon and back. All 135 countries received the display, as did the 50 states of the United States and the U.S. provinces and the United Nations.[1]
The plaques were given as gifts by Nixon in 1970.[1]
The sample Moon rock collected during theApollo 17 mission was later namedlunar basalt 70017, and dubbed theGoodwill rock.[3] Pieces of the rock weighing about 1.14 grams[2] were placed inside a piece ofacrylic lucite, and mounted, along with a flag of the country which would receive it, that had flown on Apollo 17.[3]
In 1973 Nixon had the plaques sent to 135 countries, and to the United States with its territories, as a goodwill gesture.[3]
The Delaware Apollo 11 "goodwill Moon rocks" plaque display was stolen in 1976.[4]
The Delaware Apollo 17 lunar samples plaque display is held in storage by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs.[4] Exhibits of the display are rare.[4]
