|  |
| |  | | | KSC's Lunar and Meteorite Samples
| |
Educators can now bring samples of lunar and meteoritic material into their classrooms. Lunar samples include a variety of rocks and soils returned from the Apollo missions to the Moon. Meteorite samples include examples of the three major types of meteorites - stones, stony-irons, and irons. Samples are encased in clear plastic, providing safe handling and easy inspection.
In order to borrow the Lunar and/or Meteorite disk samples, educators need to attend a short workshop on the security measures needed to handle these national treasures. Included in this course is information on the instructional support materials that accompany the samples. Upon completion of this course, the educator will receive a Lunar/Meteorite Sample disk certificate.
Lunar Sample Set
Lunar sample disks include the following types of material.
- Basalt: Solidified lava found in the dark lowland mare or "seas".
- Breccia: Rocks made of fragments of other rocks that were broken and welded during collisions between the Moon and meteorites.
- Highland Soil: Fragments composing this soil are from the breakup of highlands rocks by meteorites.
- Anorthosite White rock consisting of feldspar crystals. Predominate rock of the lunar highlands.
- Mare Soil: Most of these grains were produced by meteorites hitting lunar basalt.
- Orange Soil: Volcanic ash from a lunar eruption 3.5 billion years ago. Recovered by Apollo 17 astronauts.
Lunar samples are accompanied by a copy of the "Exploring the Moon" educator's guide, and a videotape of "The Moon: The Geologic History and Future Exploration". As part of the NASA Educator Resources, the educator's guide may be downloaded at no charge.
Meteorite Sample Set
Meteorite Sample disks include small samples of the following meteorites.
| Name |
Find Location |
Find Date |
Mass (kg) |
Classification |
| ALH90411 |
Allan Hills, Antarctica |
1990 |
5.8 |
chondrite L3 |
| LEW87030 |
Lewis Cliff, Antarctica |
1987 |
8.0 |
chondrite H5 |
| Allende |
Allende Mexico |
1969 |
1,000 |
carbonaceous chondrite |
| EET83227 |
Elephant Moraine, Ant. |
1983 |
2.0 |
basaltic achondrite |
| Gibeon |
Namibia, Africa |
1836 |
21,000 |
iron - octahedrite |
| Brenham |
Kansas, USA |
1882 |
4,400 |
stony-iron - pallasite |
Request process:
For Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands educators request for Lunar /Meteorite samples must be in writing on school letterhead to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) point of contact address listed below. Request must be sent six weeks prior to use date of sample. Specify the purpose for borrowing the sample, identify the sample disk's storage location, location where sample will be used, name(s) of all qualified users and enclose a copy of the certificate(s) for all members listed as users. When returning sample, it must be sent registered mail, return receipt and insured for a value of $100. For educators outside of this area, please contact the NASA Center serving your geographic area at http://education.nasa.gov/edprograms/descriptions/Aerospace_Education_Services_Project.html.
KSC Point of Contact:
Lori DeSouza
Lunar Certification Curator
NASA Educator Resource Center
Mail Code: ERC
Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899
Voice: (321) 867-4090
E-mail: Lori.S.DeSouza@nasa.gov
|
| |
|
