LUNAR NEWS

In This Issue: The Lunar News Mission Statement 2

Curatorial Phone Numbers 2

Bill Phinney's Retirement 2

Curator's Comments: The Lunar Facility and Data Caretakers 3

25 Years Of Curating Rocks 4

Update on "Lunar Surface Journal" 5

Miner's Daughter Looks Over the Moon 12

International Lunar Workshop 13

Lunar Core 68001 is Complete 16

How to Request Lunar Samples

Accessing the Curatorial Data Bases rs Mi. The purpose 01 ' "Lunar News" i!s to prow ride a newsletter fo~-um for facts andl opiniorIS about lunar sa ~mplest1 dies, luriar geos.cience, i and the 3rignifica nce of tt.le Moon in solar system ex~loration.

Editor's Note! "Lunar News" is I by the Of fice of the Curator, Solar System Exploration Division, Jonnson apacem- Center of the National Ae.ronautics and Spacr: Administration. It is sent firee to all interested indIviduals. To be included on the mailing list, wri te to the address Young Dr. Phinney (seated, center) in be1ow. Plear ;e send to the same address any comme:nts on "Lunar New the science "back room" during Apollo. or suggestions for new articles. Standing at the right is Apollo 17 astronaut, Jack Schmin. Bill Phinney Retires umber

0 Lunar aamples, 1 nin aecnons, ALI... aample Requc ests Dr. William C. Phinney, our Jim Gooding ...... ,-.-. .A,. ,.--a Associate Curator of Lunar ssages an~d Genere 11 Information Samples and an internationally Tari Mit~chell ...... (713) 483-5033 respected geologist, retired from . -- Antarctic Meteorites NASA service on May 3,1994. Marilyn Lindstron 5 Bill joined NASA in 1970 as Chief Cosmic Dusl t and LDI of the newly established Geology l-..."lr.. Branch, which had as its mission, Mike Zo~lGlI3Ay .... ) 483-5128 Ed1 ucational Thin Sec the geological training of Apollo Jim Gooding ...... 6 astronauts and preliminary exami- Loan- - AgreemenrsI - _.- --A- ana necwra: nation of the samples that the Dale Brc ...... (713) 483-5132 astronauts returned from the Moon. Tec :hnical 0 He led both field training and Jim Tow ..,,.., ...... (713) 483-5331 laboratory sample research and ntaminatiion Conti became widely recognized as a Dave Lilndstrom .. leader in comparative studies of rocks from the ancient crusts of the Earth and Moon. Mailing- Address: SN2 Lunar Sample Curator, NA SA After the Apollo program Jolhnson SpaIce Center; Houston I, Texas 7' 5 USA ended, Bill served in numerous 6-11. Electronic 1C La; leadership roles, including Chief of Internet:: goodin; ------. the Experimental Planetology NSI/DECNET: ( Branch. Bill later moved into a nonsupervisory position in order to concentrate on his research. But when the lunar sample curatorial effort needed to fill a key vacancy qational Aeronautics and in late 1992, Bill graciously Space Administration answered the call as Associate Curator. In addition to his role as Lyrtuvr~D. Johnson Space Center Houston senior science observer for lunar sample processing, he successfully continued on page 4 2 Lunar News to maintain the lunar sample and to maintain a record of current building, and all of its clean rooms, locations for every lunar sample as well as our liquid nitrogen tank that is in NASA custody or that has farm (which supplies the high- been placed on loan to the world purity nitrogen gas that protects the outside the lunar sample facility. samples from Earth's atmosphere) In addition, continuous improve- and in-house, precision cleaning ments are sought for our on-line laboratories. Each tool and electronic data bases that we make container is meticulously available to the public. Dale Curator's cleaned before it touches a lunar Browne leads our data group that sample. Jim works closely with Ed includes Claire Dardano (computer Comments Cornitius who supervises the system manager), Sue Goudie technical team consisting of Jack and Alene Simmons (sample The Lunar Facility and Wmen (clean room certification shippinglreceiving and file mainte- Data Caretakers and trouble-shooting), Ron Bastien nance), and Judy Allton (document (electronic systems construction archivist). The data team is The previous issue of Lunar and maintenance), Teny Parker and currently establishing a new News introduced to you the good Bill Williams (precision cleaning), workstation that will be used to people who prepare and package and Rita Sosa (clean room house- electronicize, onto optical disks, the the lunar samples that go out into keeping). The same team helps voluminous sample-processing the world for research, education, maintain our remote storage vault notes and photographs that we, and and public display. But long before at Brooks Air Force Base. The our predecessors, have accumulated a lunar sample can be shipped, technical operations team has since 1969. many exacting behind-the-scenes nearly completed construction of a As with the lunar sample operations must be accomplished in new freon-free precision cleaning caretakers introduced previously, the worlds of facilities and data system that will carry us forward our operations and data team management. into the next decades of lunar members view their work not Extensive efforts are made to sample curation. merely as a job but as a career. keep the lunar sample collection Equally arduous efforts are As they celebrate the 25th anniver- physically secure and environmen- made to keep the genealogy of each sary of the Apollo 11 mission, tally uncontaminated. Jim lunar sample clearly recorded and these teams believe that their work Townsend directs our work updated, for the benefit of science, not only touches the past but also the future. Li

Lunar Facility Caretakers Lunar Data Caretakers From lefr to right: Bill Williams, Ron L, Terry From lefr to right: Alene Simmons, Dale Parker, Jack Warren, and Ed Cornitii ted in Browne, and Judy Allton. Seated in front: front: Jim Townsend, and Rita Sosa. Claire Dardano, and Sue Goudie.

Lunar News 3 Phinney's Retirement continued from page 2 completed a thorough review and 25 Years of Curating upgrade of our reference thin- section library. Bill's scientific accomplish- Moon Rocks ments have been acknowledged by his peers through commendations too numerous to list here. His by Judy Allton exceptional achievements have Lockheed Engineering & Sciences Company been formally recognized by NASA, the Geological Society of Twenty-five years ago, rocks from surprise discovery of 5000 ppm Cr America, and the Minnesota the Moon were delivered to a in the Apollo 11 sample which Academy of Sciences. laboratory in Houston that was a obscured the primary calibration Even with his remarkable marked contrast to the methodical, lines, so other lines had to be scientific distinctions, Bill was just almost serene laboratory in which hastily substituted. as appreciated, if not as well the Moon rocks are curated today. known, for his service as chairman In July 1969, action in the Lunar As part of advanced preparations in of the NASA scholarship commit- Receiving Laboratory was intense. 1964, Elbert King and Donald A. tee which annually awarded Technicians working in the gloved- Flory proposed a concept for a privately endowed college scholar- cabinets had scientists excitedly small 10-square-meter sample ships to high-achieving children of looking over their shoulders for a receiving laboratory in which NASA employees across the first glimpse of the rocks from the sample containers could be opened agency. We trust that his steward- Moon. The scientists had the and their contents repackaged ship of higher education is not media eagerly awaiting some under high vacuum for distribution finished and we expect that some pronouncement about the appear- to scientists. Remotely controlled lucky college or university faculty ance and composition of the manipulators would be used in the and student body may benefit more samples. sterile and chemically clean directly from Bill's knowledge in vacuum chamber. Encouraged, the future. 0 Elbert A. King, the fist Lunar King and Flory expanded their idea Sample Curator, reported "The in a second version, called a A Man on the Moon: The moment was truly history, but there "sample transfer facility." In was little we could observe or say. addition to the vacuum sample- Voyages of the Apollo We counted the rocks and de- handling chamber, a clean room Astronauts by Andrew Chaikin scribed the size and shape of each with several analytical instruments (670 pages, Viking) is now piece, but they looked like lumps of for performing preliminary available in bookstores. Chaikin's charcoal in the bottom of a back- analyses on the samples was narrative takes the reader along yard barbecue grill. The pervasive proposed to enable wise distribu- with the astronauts as they encoun- dark lunar dust obscured everything tion of the samples (Compton, ter intense competition for flights, for the time being." (King, 1989). 1989). The plan continued to be the rigors of training, and the embellished, incorporating mea- incredible experience of journeying Even reporting the results of surement of short-lived radioactiv- to another world and back. He also chemical analysis was humed. S. ity in samples and mass spectro- describes the conversion of test Ross Taylor recalls getting lunar scopic analysis of sample and pilots into scientific observers, and samples about noon on July 29th container gases. Debate about the their quests for geologic discover- knowing that he would have to need for, and scope of, a lunar ies at Hadley, Descartes, and produce the results of a good sample receiving facility uncovered Taurus-Littrow. Finally, the chemical analysis by emission a concern among science advisory astronauts express their thoughts, spectroscopy for a press conference groups that a greatly enhanced looking back 25 years later. at 4:00 p.m. He carried out this receiving and analytical facility Several of the astronauts have analytical work behind the biologi- would take much of the lunar called this book the definitive cal barrier, working on the sample science program out of the hands of account of their missions. 0 inside of a nitrogen cabinet. a broad community of academic Adding to the tension was the investigators. Some scientists 4 Lunar News continued on page 6 Apollo Lunar Surface Journal to Appear on CD-ROM This Year

By Eric M. Jones Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, New Mexico

The Apollo Lunar Surface Journal will be published by World Library, Inc. on four CD-ROMs. Each CD-ROM will include the annotated transcript, the mission report, the relevant checklists, a large selection of photos and drawings, the EVA audio tracks, and a selection of video clips. AS described in Lunar News No. 55 (July 1993, p. 5-7), the Journal is meant to document for posterity the Artist's cutaway view of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory. The vacuum system technical experiences and insights was placed on the second floor. On the floor below, the quarantine bio- gained by the Apollo astronauts cabinet line and nitrogen cabinets for chemicaVphysica1 analysis were who explored the surface of the located. Above, on the thirdfloor, was the mass spectrometry lab for Moon in 1969-72. analyzing gases emitfedfrom samples and containers. The low level gamma- The Apollo 17 Lunar Surface counting laboratory was buried 50 feet below ground. NASA S-67-687 Journal will be the first one released and we are currently assembling all of the material. I wish I could predict a release date, but can't. Sometime in calendar 1994, we all hope. Work on the text for the second disk - which will combine Apollos 1 1, 12, and 14 - is well underway and I would expect its release before the middle of 1995. Disks for Apollos 15 and 16 might make it out at six-month intervals thereafter. If you would like further publication details as they become available, please contact Eric Jones by e-mail at honais@vegalanl. gov. tl

In the crowded and hectic environment of the LRL bio-technicians conduct quarantine testing of lunar rocks and soils inside a line of nitrogen-$lied cabinets. NASA S-69-25713 Lunar News 5 continued from page 4 The $7.8 million Lunar Receiving The Lunar Receiving Laboratory desired a facility functioning Laboratory comprised 8,000 m2 of had 4 stated functions: 1) distribu- merely to pass samples on to lunar receiving laboratory, biologi- tion of samples to the scientific investigators and not to store cal facilities, crew isolation area, community, 2) perform time- samples. In 1965 a committee of gas analysis laboratory and critical sample measurements, 3) the Space Science Board reviewed radiation-counting laboratory. It is permanently store under vacuum a the need for a lunar sample a tribute to the focus of the Manned portion of each sample, and 4) receiving laboratory and recom- Spacecraft Center (MSC, precursor quarantine testing of samples, mended a laboratory of restricted name of Johnson Space Center) spacecraft and astronauts (McLane scope. This committee also raised management that the building et al., 1967). In contrast, today the the question of quarantine for lunar construction was completed in purpose of curation of extraterres- samples until they proved to be 1967, within one year after trial materials at Johnson Space biologically harmless. approval to start. During 1967 Center is to 1) keep the samples MSC management was struggling pure, 2) preserve accurate historical "But as plans for managing the to recover from the Apollo capsule information about the samples, 3) samples developed, NASA came fire, that had killed three astronauts examine and classify samples, 4) under pressure from space biolo- on the ground, and fly the first of publish information about newly- gists and the U.S. Public Health 14 Apollo spacecraft. available samples, and 5) prepare Service to protect earth against the - and distribute samples for research introduction of alien microorgan- Dr. Peter R. Bell, from Oak Ridge and education (Office of the isms that might exist in lunar soil. National Laboratory, designed the Curator, 1992). What would have been a small LRL vacuum system and was laboratory designed to protect lunar selected Director of the LRL. As the LRL took shape, NASA had samples against contamination Under him engineers and techni- been encouraged to recruit mem- grew into an elaborate, expensive cians labored mightily to install and bers of the outside science comrnu- quarantine facility that greatly checkout the sophisticated sample- nity to participate in the oversight complicated operations on the early handling vacuum system before the of the lab and in the preliminary lunar landing missions." (Compton, samples amved. examination of the samples. The 1989). expertise of many outsiders working on the Lunar Sample Analysis Planning Team (LSAPT) and the Preliminary Examination Team (PET) was crucial to making the sample processing and distribu- tion operation work properly.

Scientists and technicians entering the laboratory had to strip off their clothes and put on lab clothing. Persons leaving had to strip off the lab clothes, shower, and walk nude through a lock bathed in ultraviolet (UV) light before they could put on their street clothes. Not many of the planetary scientists, astronauts or technicians took the quarantine seriously, figuring that the Moon already had a sterilization system of its own which included irradia- Complex plumbing spanning 3floors was required to operate the sophisti- tion with solar W. The quarantine cated vacuum system constructedfor lunar sample handling. In this view of a experience was fertile ground for nearly-completed vacuum system the sole set of vacuum gloves would be anecdotes, however-like the installed in the center, directly below the technician on the scaffold. various versions of a local myth NASA S-68-2382. that a quarantine expert from Fort 6 Lunar News Dietrich suggested using anthrax to test the effectiveness of the biological bamer. According to Elbert King someone did propose testing the barrier with Q-fever, a plan that had to be argued against in a managers' meeting.

When the rocks arrived, the sealed boxes were placed into the vacuum system known as the F-201. A technician working in spacesuit vacuum gloves manipulated the samples. The samples were observed and photographed in vacuum. Pieces of sample for examination or analysis were passed into cabinet lines containing nitrogen at 1 atmosphere. Working under separate management, the quarantine people fed lunar fines to mice, quail and other life forms, Control panel for operation and monitoring of vacuum sy~ back side watching for ill effects and marvel- of the vacuum system, showing the sample and tool storage curuusels, is also ing that plants grew better in lunar visible. S-68-25206 soil than in quartz sand. Planetary scientists were unhappy about the amount of material which they viewed as wasted on these experi- ments and the extent to which quarantine diminished the focus on planetary research.

Meanwhile, PET worked behind the barrier to describe and analyze the samples in a cursory fashion so that the LSAPT could allocate samples wisely to Principal Investigators (PIS). LSAPT had responsibility for overseeing the scientific integrity of the samples and authorizing the preliminary examinations performed on the samples. At the beginning of the first mission, LSAPT members weren't even allowed into the LRL. Some PET members likened LSAPT to military Generals sitting in the chateau issuing orders to the PET troops in the trenches and The processing and preliminary examinatzon of newly-received lunar rocks being unappreciative of the proceeded at a rapid pace which was tracked inside the lab on an erasable difficulties of working very long board. S-71-19263. hours in the frustrating environ- ment of the quarantine.

Lunar News 7 Prior to Apollo 11, LSAPT had served not to react with dry Interagency Committee on Back inspected the laboratory and nitrogen, a consensus developed Contamination comprised of advised high-level management of among LSAPT that handling the representatives from NASA, the problems. However, during the samples in nitrogen would be better U.S. Public Health Service, Dept. original processing of Apollo 11 than continuing with the vacuum of Agriculture and academia. LRL samples, LSAPT was permitted in system. Working in vacuum was Director Peter R. Bell, also aware the lab and saw first-hand the extremely difficult. A rupture of of the need for more processing and effects of quarantine protocols, the the vacuum integrity was rather storage capability, was trying to get working of an imperfect vacuum exciting and sucked all manner of a second vacuum processing station system and the lack of attention to contaminants (but no technicians) funded. He worked hard on potential contamination of the into the cabinet. Quarantine improving the reliability of the samples by trace elements LSAPT protocols called for dip tanks of vacuum system in which he had saw immediate need for changes in peracetic acid and sodium hy- invested so much of his energy. He LRL operations. Some changes pochlorite for the purpose of was unwilling to give it up in the were more easily made than others. sterilizing sealed sample containers face of recommendations to process Robert M. Walker hurriedly by immersion. These tanks were samples in nitrogen. solicited the manufacture of clean placed in close proximity to sample plastic vials in St. Louis. Gerald J. handling operations. Astute Four LSAPT scientists with a Wasserburg, one of the very few members of LSAPT and NASA strong will to see that changes were who had experience working with could also see that there was no made in the care of lunar samples rocks in clean rooms, fabricated room to process and store samples took matters into their own hands. stainless steel tools and containers properly and that successful Apollo Known as the "Four Horsemen", in his laboratory. He bought missions would be soon be amving Wasserburg, Walker, Paul Gast, stainless steel benches from butcher with more rocks and soils. and James R. Arnold finally took and food supply houses and had their cause to NASA Administrator them air-freighted to Houston. As advisors, LSAPT had no Thomas Paine. The Four Horse- authority over quarantine and little men got the attention of MSC's Other changes were not made so effect on LRL management. Director Robert Gilruth, who, after easily. After the Apollo 11 Quarantine was mandated by a being taken on a nighttime inspec- samples were returned and ob- high-level committee called the tion of the LRL, was very sympa-

APOLLOFLIGHT 1112 13 14 15 16 17 r Sample location LRL, B. 37 B. 31 SSPL ------i ------. B. 31 temp I i I JSC interim storage ! ---- r------i Conditions

i vacuum nitrogen

-- ? I- - - - Preliminary Exam

Curator* DUKE BUTLER

Advisory committee LSAPT

*EK = Elbert King I Dan Anderson 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980

8 Lunar News thetic and supportive toward securely and cleanly under nitrogen SSPL was known as the "pristine making improvements. and preparing samples requested by lab", for other areas in the building PIS. Working in SSPL was housed the collection of "used" 1970 was a year of changes. The considerably easier than in the samples returned by PIS at the explosion aboard Apollo 13 and the LRL. Technicians and scientists conclusion of their studies (Re- aborted lunar sample return gave merely donned clean room suits turned Sample processing Labora- the LRL time to catch up and over their street clothes to enter the tory, RSPL) and the Thin Section rethink procedures. The appoint- laboratory. Samples were handled Lab. By the mid-1970s thousands ment of Tony Calio as Director of in gloved cabinets. After the of samples were returned by PIS Science and Applications, Paul Apollo 17 PET was completed in each year. To enhance the scien- Gast as Chief of Lunar and Earth 1973 all the samples were moved tific use of the samples, updating of Sciences Division, and Mike Duke from the LRL into building 31. the sample catalogs to summarize as Curator resulted in progress on Except for the gas analysis and published composition information lunar sample preservation and radiation counting labs, the LRL was begun. In the absence of fresh careful documentation. The was abandoned to the biologists sample cargos, the urgency of requirement to process samples in and doctors. preliminary examinations relented vacuum was dropped after Apollo and LSAPT was slightly redirected 12. A small, temporary storage Under the curatorships of Mike as the Lunar and Planetary Sample vault was quickly constructed in Duke and Patrick Butler, documen- Team (LAPST). building 3 1. The following year tation of sample handling was quarantine was discontinued after organized by sample number and Lurking in the background was a Apollo 14, and this permitted more standardized. Sample processing concern that the lunar samples were focused thinking about the sample data collected from Apollo 15 vulnerable to natural disaster or processing and storage problem. onward was vastly improved. military actions. A small fire and Materials touching lunar samples several ceiling water leaks in the The solution to the problem was to were strictly monitored and pristine lab were reminders of this construct the Sample Storage and controlled. The excitement of vulnerability. Not wishing to have Processing Laboratory (SSPL) by opening new samples was main- "all the eggs in one basket", remodeling part of B. 31 at JSC for tained with the opening of drill especially if the basket were the purpose of storing samples stem and drive tube soil cores. subject to hurricanes, small

;------AFB rernc

nitrogen

BUTLER BLANCHARD GOODING ------

LAPST CAPTEM

Lunar News 9 portions of the lunar sample high efficiency air filtration. The years; however, slabbing of collection were placed in three building seemed to have a person- breccias in the search for "new" separate vaults at JSC while ality all its own-it could automati- samples increased later in the awaiting the completion of a cally seal shut the air conditioning decade. remote storage facility at Brooks to the vault and gases corning into Air Force Base in San Antonio. the cabinets in the event of an 1994 marks two technology One night in 1976 14% (by weight) emergency. A trip into the sample upgrades. Tool and container of the collection was secretly vault was likened to a journey into cleaning is being changed to moved, with police escort, to San the heart of an Egyptian pyramid exclude environmentally-question- Antonio aboard a specially- by one journalist. All sample able freon in favor of new ultrapure modified, smooth-riding passenger handling activities were codified in water cleaning technology and bus and placed in the renovated a set of procedures written specifi- electronic conversion and storage bunker. cally for use in the new building. of paper documents begins. Expert The sample collection, then oversight of the lunar sample By then plans were underway to numbering 50,000 pristine samples operations continues but LAPST construct a humcane-proof sample and "used" samples, was placed in has been replaced by the Curation vault and processing laboratory. the vaults in 1979. and Analysis Planning Team for The building planners had several Extraterrestrial Materials years experience in curating Moon During the lean years of the early (CAPTEM). rocks and a good idea of what was 1980s. the curatorial staff set up an needed. They had time to plan in-house tool cleaning facility and The principal gains since the carefully and the politics of operated a freon still (freon was a completion of a proper facility have quarantine did not interfere with standard cleaning fluid before been the ever-tightening control of good science. The result, an annex chlorofluorocarbons were impli- sample inventory, security and added to building 31, was a cated as destroyers of Earth's accountability for a national laboratory constructed of chemi- statospheric ozone). Opening of treasure. This expertise, for which cally clean materials kept clean by new cores was suspended for 6 the Office of the Curator remains a recognized leader, was enabled by interactive computer technology. Over the years the staff has grown in competence and expertise, acquiring the ability to do tasks formerly performed by other organizations. The curatorial operation currently provides an efficient means for inspecting, selecting and delivering samples to the scientific community.

After 25 years experience sample curation has evolved to a methodi- cal and efficient operation encom- passing meteorites, cosmic dust and space-exposed hardware in addition to lunar samples-experience with a range of sample types upon which to build curation of new extrater- restrial samples. G. J. Wasserburg Today, lunar rocks and soils are curated in a hurricane-proof laboratory in has kindly said, 'This laboratory which every material fromJloor covering to electrical plugs has been scruti- has established a model to the nized and selected for minimal contamination to lunar samples. Cleanliness is world for the handling and distribu- maintained by specialized airfiltration and restriction of the materials and tion of rare extraterrestrial materi- number of people allowed in the laboratory. NASA S-85-36332 als. The scientific community is gratified to have this capability and

10 Lunar News skill available and is proud of the accomplishments of the Lunar Sample Curatorial Facility."

REFERENCES :

(1992) Office of the Curator, NASAIJSC, brochure published by Manager, Office of the Curator, code SN2, 0 Johnson Space Center, 11 12 14 15 16 17 Houston, TX 77058. MISSION

Compton W. D. (1989) Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions. NASA SP-4214,415 pp.

King B. (1989) Moon Trip: A Personal Account of the Apollo Program and its Science. University of Houston, Houston, TX 77058,149 pp.

McLane J. C. Jr., King E. A., Flory D. A., Richardson K. A., Dawson J. P., Kemmerer - 11 12 14 15 16 17 W. W., and Wooley B. C. MISSION (1967) "Lunar Receiving Laboratory" in Science, v. 155, No. 3762, pp. 525- 529.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: 3 Interviews with J. 0. Annexstad, J. 2L3 >I- R. Arnold, R. N. Clayton, L. A. $2 20000 m3 Haskin, G. Heiken, E. A. King, D. 30 S. McKay, W. C. Phinney, C. H. E3 Simmonds, S. R. Taylor, R. M. #L' 10000 Walker, J. L. Warren, G. J. Pa: Wasserburg, and R. A. Wright and z30- reviews by S. R. Taylor, G. J. Wasserburg, J. L. Gooding, E. K. n- Gibson and M. B. Duke have been 11 12 14 15 16 17 very helpful. Cl MISSION

Lunar News 11 Miner's Daughter Looks Over the Moon by Wendell Mendell NASAIJSC

On February 19,1994, a small nate among lunar minerals. Careful The South Pole region shows a United States spacecraft entered choreography of the spacecraft's permanently dark depression that lunar orbit for the first time in 21 elliptical orbit has provided may be as much as 150 km across. years to take scientific data on the coverage for the entire Moon at a A difficult and complex measure- Moon. Was this the mission for spatial resolution of 200-300 ment of the dielectric constant of which lunar scientists had lobbied meters. Photographs of various this polar region using bistatic during two decades to "finish" the locations by the lidar camera radar techniques is currently being highly successful Apollo orbital provide resolutions as high as 30 analyzed to determine whether geochemistry data set? Not meters per pixel in five spectral evidence for ice can be found. exactly. In fact, the implementing bands. Data from Clementine is already agency was the Department of The lidar instrument was causing us to rethink our picture of Defense and the Clementine modified to act as a laser ranging lunar evolution. Yet, as exciting spacecraft was officially designated altimeter for the lunar mission. and voluminous as this new as a flight qualification of "ad- The instrument's capability to information is, we are still missing vanced lightweight technologies make the measurements had been major data sets for planetary study developed by the Ballistic Missile questioned, but its performance such as global geochemistry, Defense Organization (BMDO)." exceeded all expectations. It geophysical characterization of the Fortunately for planetary returned a data set of lunar topogra- internal structure, absolute ages of science, the Antiballistic Missile phy between latitudes 70N and stratigraphicprovinces, and even (ABM) Treaty forbids testing these 70s. The altimeter was turned off the most elementary information on technologies in Earth orbit. The over the polar regions on the the origin of lunar regional magne- BMDO decided to head for the expectation that the altitude of the tism. As the Clementine data Moon and recruited a NASA- spacecraft there was too high. stream is processed into informa- funded science team for advice on Nevertheless, since Clementine tion, transformed into knowledge, how to get the best science within passed repeatedly over the poles, and incorporated as understanding the technical, operational, and sufficient imaging exists to over time, it will raise new debates fiscal constraints of the mission. measure topography through the about the origin and evolution of The end result is two months of use of convergent stereo photogra- the Earth-Moon system and spawn mapping from lunar polar orbit and phy. new concepts for further explora- a stunning remote sensing charac- NASA plans to issue an tion of our sister planet. Ci terization of an entire planet. announcement of opportunity to Within a spacecraft dry mass of submit research proposals for data only 235 kg, Clementine's instru- analysis later this year. Mean- ments included a UVNisible while, the science team is working Camera, Short- and Long-Wave- to put the data in accessible form length Infrared Cameras, a Lidar while assessing its content and Laser Transmitter coupled with a quality. The altimetry data alone is high-resolution camera, and a Star giving startling information, Tracker Camera. The science team proving the existence of several chose a combination of 11 spectral farside basins whose existence had filters for the UVNisible Camera only been proposed. In one case, a and the Near-Infrared Camera to newly confirmed basin exhibits maximize the ability to discrimi- relief of 12 km from rim to floor!

12 Lunar News International Lunar Workshop THE MEETING WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE 'Toward a World Strategy for the RICH OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE Exploration and Utilization of our EXPLORATION AND Natural Satellite' UTILIZATION OF THE MOON. - The uniqueness of the Earth- by Chuck Meyer Moon system was emphasized NASA JSC and the potential of the Moon as a natural long-term space- station was recognized. Wendell Mendell, Dave McKay, ing challenges, in the exploration of Chuck Meyer and Mike Duke of the Moon's potential for habitabil- - The Workshop agreed that JSC participated in the Interna- ity and in its effectiveness as a base the time was right, scientifically tional Lunar Workshop hosted by for scientific enterprises. It may and technologically, for a staged the University of Bern and the well be the case that, on its own, no lunar program implemented in European Space Agency (ESA) in one of these arguments could evolutionary phases, the first Beatenberg, Switzerland May 31 to justify the proposal, but that taken phase involving science, June 3, 1994 to consider future together there may be sufficient technology, and resource plans for internationally coordi- reason for a coordinated interna- exploration missions. The initial nated programs for robotic and tional program to go back to the phases of the program, involv- human Lunar Exploration. The Moon. Other speakers reviewed ing Moon orbiters and landers workshop considered scientific, the state of knowledge of the Moon with roving robots, are within the technical, political and economic and what could be learned from a capabilities of the individual reasons why lunar exploration new lunar program. , space agencies technically and should be conducted as a coordi- for example, presented Clementine financially; but the benefits, nated and truly international data and Jack Schmitt forcefully scientifically and technologically, venture. Working Groups consid- presented a business plan for a would be greatly enhanced by ered current plans for lunar hypothetical multinational com- close coordination. Each phase activities, transportation capabili- pany that would mine the Moon for should set the task for the next ties, political, legal and economic He-3 as an energy source. John one, but will be fully justified on aspects, protection of the lunar Logsdon reviewed the reasons for its own merits without being in environment, infrastructure, lunar going to the Moon the fist time. any way dependent of the site selection and the framework of Mike Duke discussed the useful- follow-on. international collaboration. The ness of the Moon as a stepping results of these working groups will stone along the way toward a - Strong interest was ex- be published in the Proceedings of manned Mars mission. pressed in the science of the the Workshop. Speakers at the At the end of the Workshop the Moon (illuminating the history of workshop included: R.M. Bonnet, following Declaration was issued: the Earth-Moon system), from J. Geiss, H.H. Schmitt, H.S. Wolff, the Moon (for astronomical H. Bondi, J.M. Logsdon, Y. "On the initiative of Switzerland projects), and on the Moon Langevin, J.-P. Swings, J. Rasool, and the European Space (biological reactions to low R. Kouda, A. Kiss, P. Spudis, G. Agency, representatives from gravity and the unique radiation Giralt and M.B. Duke. space agencies, scientific environment). In his keynote address at the institutions and industry from Workshop, Sir Hermann Bondi around the world met in - The phased evolutionary emphasized that 'Big Science' is Beatenberg, Switzerland from approach allows the differences necessarily linked to public affairs 3 1 May to 3 June 1994 to of opinion over the role of and that the Moon as a base is a consider plans for the imple- humans in space and the proposal that is likely to be mentation of internationally economic utilization of the Moon attractive in various ways: in the coordinated programs for to be assessed later in the light eyes of the public, in its engineer- robotic and human Lunar of results from the earlier Exploration. phases. As the program

Lunar News 13 progresses, it is possible that In Europe, the Lunar Science tion and internal structure of the the attractions and benefits of Advisory Group, set up by ESA, Moon, as well as its geochemistry, human presence on the Moon has identified the scientific interest the impact-cratering history of the will become clearly apparent. It of returning to the Moon, address- impact processes themselves, the is evident, however, that the ing specifically the benefits of formation of the regolith, the Moon would represent the next "Science of, on and from the evolution of our Sun, through logical step and a test bed in Moon" in a study document titled studying the record encapsulated in any plans of human expansion "Mission to the Moon" ESA SP- the lunar soil." into the solar system. 1150 (1992). ESA has now developed a long-term strategy for "Science on the Moon" - The Workshop concluded lunar exploration based on a four- 'The establishment of a lunar that existing launcher systems phased approach. In the ESA base would provide life scientists would permit the implementation vision, the eventual goal of the with challenging projects in the of the initial phases. The fourth phase would be the realiza- fields of exobiology, radiation significant technological ad- tion of a human lunar outpost. biology, ecology and eventually vances required in areas such During phase three, lunar resources also, with a manned presence, as robotics, telepresence, and would be developed and utilized. human physiology. In exobiology, teleoperations will certainly find During phase two, a permanent studies on the Moon would scientific and industrial applica- robotic presence would be establish contribute to our understanding of tions on Earth. using robotic skills such as virtual- the principles leading to the origin, reality-type control. During the evolution and distribution of life. - The Workshop agreed that first phase, lunar explorer missions A laboratory on the Moon would the objectives of the program using existing technology and allow the analysis of a wide variety can be accomplished while at capability would be flown by of lunar samples and ... meteoritic the same time protecting the various nations. material ...". lunar environment. The scientific rationale for "A "The Moon also provides a Moon Programme: The European unique laboratory for radiation- - The Workshop concluded View" is outlined in ESA BR-101 biology studies, with built-in that current international space (May 1994), a portion of which is sources of both electromagnetic treaties provide a constructive reproduced below: and ionizing radiation, in which to legal regime within which to investigate the biological impor- conduct peaceful scientific "Science of the Moon" tance of various components of exploration and economic "The Moon has preserved its cosmic and solar radiation. In utilization of the Moon, including primordial crust and is the most preparing for the establishment of a the establishment of permanent easily accessible location in the human outpost on the Moon in the scientific bases and observato- Solar System for studying the years to come, radiation monitor- ries. evolution of a natural planet ing, shielding, and solar-flare immediately following accretion. shelters must be studied, together In conclusion the Workshop It therefore holds the key to our with a reliable life-support system agreed that this is the right time: understanding the early evolution including biogeneration systems, as of the Solar System. It also well as a health-monitoring to begin the first phase of constitutes a natural laboratory in system." the lunar program which general geological processes to prepare for future can be studied and understood." "Science from the Moon" decisions on the later "Following the Apollo and Luna "The Moon is generally consid- phases programs, and more recently the ered to be a unique astronomical to implement international Clementine project, our general site, offering better observing coordination and knowledge and understanding of conditions than on Earth and with cooperation the Moon has improved dramati- the unique advantage of affording to establish, at a working cally. However, a number of major access to the entire electromag- level, a mechanism for scientific themes have still to be netic, particle and cosmic ray regular coordination of investigated in greater depth, spectrum. The Moon is a large, activities. including: the origin of the Earth - stable and slowly rotating space Moon system, the thermal evolu- platform, whose position and 14 Lunar News orientation are known exactly at all time. No thruster units are needed for "positioning" or "station- keeping", and instrument pointing Apollo 17 Catalog Back on Track is as simple as back on Earth. The is the only place in the inner Solar System We are pleased to announce that the fourth and final volume of the with a naturally 'clean' electromag- Catalog of Apollo 17 Rocks is well on its way to completion. Thanks netic environment. One could also shield sensitive equipment from to the dedicated efforts of Chuck Meyer, who agreed to serve as the damaging radiation using the new author, rock descriptions have been compiled for Volume 4 and regolith material, and exploit the drafts of the camera-ready page layouts are in progress. In addition, a shadowed surface inside craters cumulative index has been compiled to help readers locate rock near the Moon's poles for siting of descriptions, according to rock generic number, in each of the four passively cooled instruments." volumes. "The next step in astronomy will be the search for higher angular We expect that Volume 4 will be sent to printing in September 1994. resolution, for the imaging of stars, Budget permitting, we plan to have printed copies available for mailing galaxies and quasars, binary by early 1995, if not sooner. systems, and ultimately of extra- solar planets. This will eventually necessitate the construction of large To date, we have shipped copies of Volumes 1-3 to all of our custom- antennas, telescopes, and interfero- ers who requested them. If you would like to receive any or all of the metric systems on the Moon. volumes, please send a written communication to us by mail, e-mail, or Very-low-frequency (VLF) FAX at the corresponding address given on page 2. Be sure to provide observations and interferometry in your full mailing address. the ultraviolet to submillimeter spectral range will open new To those of you who have asked about electronic versions of the windows on the Universe, impact- catalog (e.g., CD-ROM platters), we regret that we are currently able to ing on almost every field of supply only papers copies. Although the Apollo 17 catalog was the astronomy. Although the Moon is not the only place in space where first lunar sample catalog to be prepared in a modem desktop publish- such observations are possible, ing environment, we do not have the resources to publish it in a kilometric sized (and larger) arrays multimedia format. Ll and very large telescopes will most probably need to be sited on the lunar surface." There is a lot of similarity of the European plan with the American Space Exploration Initiative (now cancelled), except that the early steps of the European plan would seem to be more achievable and the scientific rationale for the earlier phase is better stated. One of the main points made at the Lunar Workshop in Beatenberg was that an international effort should be There will be a Proceedings of the affordable. The European plan will International Lunar Workshop be presented to ESA this year and containing the papers presented several candidates for the first lunar along with the results of the missions are apparently being Working Groups. C3 developed in various countries.

Lunar News 15 Dissection of Core 68001 Is Complete by Carol Schwarz Lockheed Engineering & Sciences Company

Dissection of 68001, the bottom dominate the >I-mm fraction. black fine-grained glassy frag- section of Apollo 16 double drive Anorthosites are rare and small ments, about 10% are white or light tube 68002168001 has been black glassy particles are fairly gray (anorthositic), 6% are glasses, completed. The core was dissected numerous. At 12.5 cm and continu- and 4%are basalts. Among the 20 in 0.5-cm depth increments along ing to about 15 cm is a darker large or unusual particles >1 mm three 1-cm-thick longitudinal layers slightly bluish-gray layer. The which were given individual (passes) starting at the top of this >I-mrn fraction consists of all sample numbers are soil breccias, section and continuing through the coherent particles; they are black glassy fragments, white length (34. 1 cm) of the core. Soil generally small black glassy pieces, fragments, and a small soil clod from each increment of the first and and breccias with a few an- with a rusty-looking spot. Three third passes was separated into orthosites and glass. At about samples of about .5g each were coarse and fine fractions using a 15 cm the soil becomes a brownish- taken under red-light conditions 1-mm sieve. The coarse particles gray color (10YR 611) and is from three depths of approximately were examined and photo-docu- noticeably loose and coarse- 10,20, and 30 cm. mented. Samples from the second grained. >I-mm particles are Diagrams for the three dissec- or chemically pure pass were not numerous and all are coherent (no tion passes follow and identify sieved or examined in detail. friable soil breccias). A finger of samples splits which are available Samples from all three passes are light gray material extends about for allocation. Weights are given available now; thin sections are two thirds of the diameter of the in grams and "Bx" is used as an being prepared and will be avail- core at about 18.0 - 18.5 cm with abbreviation for "breccia." Cl able later this year. obvious mm-sized white fragments 68001 was extruded on Decem- occurring. From about 21.5 cm and ber 14, 1993. The length after continuing to the bottom of the core extrusion was 34.1 cm; thus the is a lighter-colored zone of soil total length of 6800U1 was 61 cm. which is more coherent and whose The color of 68001 varied from >I-mm portion is rich in soil lOYR 511 to 711 on the Munsell breccias (both clods and coherent Color Scale and several distinct breccias) and black glassy-fine- color boundaries were observed grained fragments. during the dissection passes. A void A close examination of particles at the top end extended to about 1.5 >I-mm from the first and second cm. At 0 to about 9.0 cm was a dissection passes showed that about dark layer, approximately 8 1% (by number) of the particles 1OYR 511. Dark soil breccias and are in the 1-2 mm size range, 18% soil clods were abundant and varied were 2-4 mm, and 1% were from small at the top to larger 4-10 mm or >10 rnm. toward the lower end of this layer - Lithology of the >I-mm fraction of the core. Black fine-grained was determined by binocular glassy particles are abundant as microscopic examination of the well as some glass and an- particles from the first and second orthosites. From about 9.0 to 12.5 passes and is summarized as cm is a layer of lighter gray soil follows: 47% are various types of (IOYR 711) characterized by light breccias and dusty fragments which gray clodslsoil breccias which were difficult to identify, 37% are

16 Lunar News --

DRIVE TUBE 68001 (First Dissection)

I 1 153 1.083 sweepings Lunar News 17