[meteorite-list] Ownership of Apollo samples

From: Mike Reynolds <MReynolds_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:47:09 2004
Message-ID: <A198D3B84FB66049AF8244437619AB136DEF49_at_cssc02.cssc.org>

All:

Like Ron I have attended the NASA workshop for loan of lunar materials
(there is also a meteorite "disk" that had been available). I have checked
out the disk several times and yes, it is a real pain! But for me, as an
educator and museum/science center director the advantages outweigh the
"pain."

I understand from my NASA contacts there has been a couple of "incidents"
over the years regarding the disks. However they have been far and few
between.

Now if you think being certified for using a NASA lunar sample disk, then
checking one out has challenges, you ought to try to get a lunar sample for
an institution on a permanent loan basis! NASA has been very helpful but we
have had to comply with a number of issues, all important to the safety and
security of the sample. Ron: imaging "sleeping at night" knowing you have a
lunar sample on permanent display and you are responsible for its security!

An interesting segue: I remember a few years back when the Smithsonian
Institution's National Museum of Natural History was preparing the new
Hooker Hall of Gems and Minerals (and meteorites!). The Museum had moved a
couple of the more-important pieces out for the public to see: the Hope
Diamond and ALH84001 (the heyday of the ALH84001 specimen). Being a museum
director I stood back and watched visitors approach the two. Virtually no
one looked at the meteorite; all "drooled" over the Hope Diamond. Now if
ALH84001 plays out as many think (hope!) it is FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT than the
Hope Diamond will ever be. Yet the public didn't have a clue...

Keep Looking Up,

Mike Reynolds
Chabot Space & Science Center

-----Original Message-----
From: capricorn89 [mailto:capricorn89_at_earthlink.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 2:34 AM
To: Charlie
Cc: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Ownership of Apollo samples


The lunar samples (education discs) are indeed available for education and
research. The loan requirements are very specific and all samples must be
returned within a specified time and accounted for without exception. NASA
offers a short course for educators on their use. At the conclusion, you
receive a certificate and are entitled to obtain an educators disc on loan.
These are available for both intermediate and high school once use is
substantiated. This is a fine program and one of NASA's education
objectives. I attended such a program but have always been somewhat
reluctant to actually request a sample, due to the tight security and their
value. If I had one of the discs, I don't think I would sleep until it was
returned safely.

Ron Hartman

----- Original Message -----
From: Charlie <moonrock25_at_webtv.net>
To: SAMUEL E KIMPTON <bessel_at_europa.com>
Cc: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 2:02 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Ownership of Apollo samples


> Dear Sam, Ron, Fred, and list members
>
> Walter Branch must surely be correct in stating the 96 g eBay sample
> cannot be lunar due to the cost of such a fragment to NASA. And Steve
> pointed out such reproduction samples were common in te 70's.
> Nevertheless, NASA does make lunar samples available under strict
> guidelines. If you go to the following page and click on "requesting
> lunar samples", you can see the "educator discs" made available to
> qualified teachers:
>
> http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/lunar.htm
>
> Best wishes,
> Charlie
>
>
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Received on Thu 08 Nov 2001 01:34:02 PM PST