[meteorite-list] Moon Dust

From: Michael Gilmer <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2011 14:36:25 -0400
Message-ID: <BANLkTine7w+p3TykLbc3y+z8YxzSiwv+qQ_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi Rafael,

I do not know for certain that owning Apollo moon dust is illegal. In
fact, I think samples such as Florian's tape specimens are or should
be legal. Up until recently, I just assumed that they were. The fact
that law enforcement has stepped in and is actively pursuing these
samples at least gives the impression that law enforcement thinks it
is illegal.

I am not an attorney, nor have I worked for NASA or government. But,
it seems to be commonly-accepted wisdom that owning NASA-sourced
samples is a no-no. When the US government handed out "moon rocks" to
other governments, some of these eventually found their way onto the
private market. There was at least one publicized case where the
sample was confiscated and returned.

So whether it is legal or not, the current modus-operandi of law
enforcement is to harass and prosecute owners of such samples as soon
as they are discovered.

In the case where a NASA intern stole a sample from JSC, he was
prosecuted and rightfully so. But, I do not agree with people being
harassed or arrested for trading tiny pieces of tape with a milligram
of dust on them - that is silly and a waste of taxpayer money.

You won't get any argument from me about that. :)

Law-enforcement is not infallible and the make mistakes all the time.
Just because someone is arrested for something, doesn't mean it is
illegal. But, the fact that people are being harassed for this now,
would make me think twice about trading in this material until the
legal questions are resolved.

Best regards,

MikeG

PS - nobody is going to lose this debate, because in my case, you are
preaching to the choir! :)

-- 
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"> I ask to Michael Gilbert (Galactic Stone), can you tell me exactly *(Date)*
> *which*  law prohibits individuals to have samples of lunar rocks brought by
> NASA."
This is something I would like to know as well, and if anyone can
answer this definitively, I am anxious to hear it.
On 6/25/11, Rafael Navarro <rafael.navarro7 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Well ,Michael Blood you can not talk about the speck in your brother's eye,
> when you do not see the beam in yours, (the eyes not see to inward).
> I had the suspicion that NASA gave lunar rock samples  (Apollo 11) without
> having studied, hize a research about it and wanted to share my findings
> with members of Met-list, but the editors of the  list, censored my posts
>  by be suspect   and out of place.
> *Definitely, the ignorance is bold.*
> I ask to Michael Gilbert (Galactic Stone), can you tell me exactly *(Date)*
> *which*  law prohibits individuals to have samples of lunar rocks brought by
> NASA.
> Or you only repeat those words because you've heard to someone say it?
> Also, you believe that among all the samples collected on the moon only
> arrived two microscopic meteorites?
> You believe everything what others say?
> You know something about it, or also repeat this like a parrot ?
> *Yes in truth, It is terrifying! They are EVERYWHERE!*
> *
> *
> Rafael Navarro
>
> *PD : *And do not worry about answering;I know that you will  do not.
> I suspect that you are smart enough not to continue a discussion that you
> are not sure of winning.
> *
> *
> *
> *
>

Received on Sat 25 Jun 2011 02:36:25 PM PDT