Lunar Samples
Apollo Samples
Pictures and descriptions of rocks and soil collected by Apollo astronauts on the lunar surface and returned to Earth.
Luna Samples
Pictures and descriptions of rocks and soil retrieved by Luna sample return missions.
Overviews of Apollo samples are available through the links along the right margin.
Photographs of lunar samples are available in LPI’s Lunar Sample Atlas. This library of images provides pictures of the Apollo samples taken in the Lunar Sample Laboratory, full-color views of the samples in microscopic thin-sections, cutting views and diagrams that illustrate how the samples were subdivided for scientific analyses, and in situ views of the samples on the lunar surface. The atlas contains information about the type of sample (e.g., rock, soil), the lithology (e.g., basalt, norite), and a description of the sample. Links to additional information about each sample are provided for those that have been previously described in The Lunar Sample Compendium and Lunar Sample Catalogs. Version 1 of the atlas is being released in August 2009. The process of scanning lunar sample images continues and the atlas will grow in the future.
Detailed descriptions of several samples are available courtesy of the Lunar Sample Curator’s office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.The information was compiled by Charles Meyer in The Lunar Sample Compendium. Links to specific Apollo and Luna samples in Meyer’s compendium are also provided below in several different categories.
Lunar Samples by Category
|
PLUTONICLunar plutonic rocks are coarsely-crystalline rocks of slowly-cooled deep-seated origin. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15362 | 15415 | 15445 | 15455 | 60015 | 60025 |
| 60055 | 60215 | 60515 | 60516 | 60517 | 60518 |
| 60519 | 60525 | 60526 | 60618 | 60619 | 60629 |
| 60639 | 60665 | 62236 | 62237 | 62275 | 65315 |
| 65325 | 65326 | 65327 | 65785 | 65789 | 67075 |
| 67415 | 67529 | 67635 | 67636 | 67637 | 67667 |
| 67746 | 67955 | 68035 | 68515 | 69955 | 72415 |
| 72559 | 73235 | 73255 | 76335 | 76535 | 76536 |
| 77075 | 77215 | 78235 | 78236 | 78238 | 78255 |
|
COREThere is a total of 54 feet of core samples collected from the top of the lunar regolith. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10004 | 10005 | 12026 | 12027 | 12028 | 14210 |
| 14211 | 14220 | 14230 | 15007 | 15009 | 15010 |
| 60010 | 60014 | 64002 | 68001 | 68002 | 69001 |
| 70009 | 70012 | 73001 | 74002 | 76001 | 79002 |
| A15 Drill | A16 Drill | A17 Drill | Drill Core | Drive Tubes | Hardware |
| Luna 16 Core | Luna 20 Core | Luna 24 Core | |||
|
SCRThese samples were used for depth profile studies of cosmic ray produced nuclides. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10017 | 12002 | 12054 | 14310 | 64455 | 68815 |
| 74275 | 79215 | A15 Drill | |||
|
THIN SECTIONSThese samples are the ones included in the Educational Petrographic Thin Section Sets. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12002 | 12005 | 14305 | 15299 | 60025 | 65015 |
| 70017 | 70180 | 72275 | 74220 | 75061 | 75081 |
| 78235 | |||||
|
DISPLAYAbout 70 lunar samples are on public display around the world, including: |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10017 | 10020 | 10045 | 10047 | 10057 | 10072 |
| 12006 | 12018 | 12022 | 12047 | 12053 | 12055 |
| 12065 | 14305 | 14310 | 14311 | 14321 | 15015 |
| 15016 | 15058 | 15075 | 15459 | 15499 | 15555 |
| 15616 | 60015 | 60016 | 60025 | 61016 | 66075 |
| 67016 | 67455 | 67915 | 70017 | 70035 | 70215 |
| 72275 | 74255 | 75015 | 76015 | 76055 | 77035 |
| 79155 | |||||
|
APOLLO11These samples were collected during the Apollo 11 mission. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10002 | 10003 | 10004 | 10005 | 10009 | 10010 |
| 10017 | 10018 | 10019 | 10020 | 10021 | 10022 |
| 10023 | 10024 | 10025 | 10026 | 10027 | 10028 |
| 10029 | 10031 | 10032 | 10044 | 10045 | 10046 |
| 10047 | 10048 | 10049 | 10050 | 10056 | 10057 |
| 10058 | 10059 | 10060 | 10061 | 10062 | 10063 |
| 10064 | 10065 | 10066 | 10067 | 10068 | 10069 |
| 10070 | 10071 | 10072 | 10073 | 10074 | 10075 |
| 10082 | 10084 | 10085 | 10086 | 10091 | 10092 |
| 10093 | 10094 | ||||
|
APOLLO12These samples were collected during the Apollo 12 mission. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12001 | 12002 | 12003 | 12003 | 12004 | 12005 |
| 12006 | 12007 | 12008 | 12009 | 12010 | 12011 |
| 12012 | 12013 | 12014 | 12015 | 12016 | 12017 |
| 12018 | 12019 | 12020 | 12021 | 12022 | 12023 |
| 12024 | 12026 | 12027 | 12028 | 12029 | 12030 |
| 12031 | 12032 | 12033 | 12034 | 12035 | 12036 |
| 12037 | 12038 | 12039 | 12040 | 12041 | 12042 |
| 12043 | 12044 | 12045 | 12046 | 12047 | 12051 |
| 12052 | 12053 | 12054 | 12055 | 12056 | 12057 |
| 12060 | 12061 | 12062 | 12063 | 12064 | 12065 |
| 12070 | 12072 | 12073 | 12075 | 12076 | 12077 |
|
APOLLO14These samples were collected during the Apollo 14 mission. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14003 | 14006 | 14041 | 14042 | 14045 | 14047 |
| 14049 | 14051 | 14053 | 14055 | 14056 | 14057 |
| 14059 | 14060 | 14061 | 14063 | 14064 | 14066 |
| 14068 | 14069 | 14070 | 14071 | 14072 | 14073 |
| 14074 | 14076 | 14077 | 14078 | 14079 | 14082 |
| 14083 | 14141 | 14148 | 14149 | 14156 | 14163 |
| 14168 | 14169 | 14170 | 14171 | 14172 | 14173 |
| 14174 | 14175 | 14179 | 14181 | 14210 | 14211 |
| 14220 | 14230 | 14240 | 14255 | 14259 | 14260 |
| 14264 | 14265 | 14267 | 14268 | 14269 | 14270 |
| 14271 | 14272 | 14273 | 14274 | 14275 | 14276 |
| 14277 | 14278 | 14280 | 14281 | 14301 | 14303 |
| 14304 | 14305 | 14306 | 14307 | 14309 | 14310 |
| 14311 | 14312 | 14313 | 14314 | 14315 | 14316 |
| 14317 | 14318 | 14319 | 14320 | 14321 | 14425 |
|
LUNAThese samples were collected by the Russian Luna robotic missions. |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna 16 Core | Luna 20 Core | Luna21020 | Luna24170 | ||
| Luna 24 Core | |||||
Lunar Receiving Laboratory
Lunar Receiving Laboratory Project History (2004)
NASA-CR-2004-208938, S. Mangus and W. Larsen, 76 pages.
Apollo Sample Catalogues
Apollo 12 Lunar-Sample Information (1970)
J. Warner, NASA TR-R-353, 396 pages.
Apollo 16 Coarse Fines (4-10 mm): Sample Classification, Description and Inventory (1972)
Ursula B. Marvin, NASA MSC, 145 pages.
Apollo-11 Lunar Sample Information Catalogue (Revised 1977)
F.E. Kramer et al., JSC Publication 12522.
Introduction to the Apollo Collections: Part I - Igneous Rocks (1977)
P.E. McGee et al., LPI Contribution No. 269, 101 pages.
Apollo 14 Rock Samples (1978)
I.C. Carlson and W.J.A. Walton Jr., JSC Publication 14240.
Introduction to the Apollo Collections: Part II – Lunar Breccias (1979)
P.E. McGee et al., 221 pages.
Apollo 16 Special Samples
F. Hörz et al., 101 pages.
Catalog of Apollo 16 Rocks Part 1, 60015-62315 (1980)
G. Ryder and M. D. Norman, Curatorial Branch Publication 52, JSC Publication 16904.
Catalog of Apollo 16 Rocks Part 2, 63335-66095 (1980)
G. Ryder and M. D. Norman, Curatorial Branch Publication 52, JSC Publication 16904.
Catalog of Apollo 16 Rocks Part 3, 67015-69965 (1980)
G. Ryder and M. D. Norman, Curatorial Branch Publication 52, JSC Publication 16904.
Apollo 16 Soil Catalog, 61220, Classification and Description of 1-4 mm Fines (1980)
Ursula B. Marvin and Andrea B. Mosie, NASA JSC Curatorial Branch Publication 53, 30 pages.
Regolith Breccia Workbook (1983)
By R. M. Fruland, Planetary Materials Branch Publication 66, JSC
Publication 19045, 269 pages
Handbook of Lunar Soils (1983)
R. V. Morris et al., Planetary Materials Branch Publication 67, JSC Publication 19069.
Catalog of Apollo 15 Rocks Part 1. 15015-15299 (1985)
G. Ryder, Curatorial Branch Publication 72, JSC Publication 20787.
Catalog of Apollo 15 Rocks Part 2. 15306-15468 (1985)
G. Ryder, Curatorial Branch Publication 72, JSC Publication 20787.
Catalog of Apollo 15 Rocks Part 3. 15475-15698 (1985)
G. Ryder, Curatorial Branch Publication 72, JSC Publication 20787.
Catalog of Apollo 17 Rocks Volume 1 - Stations 2 and 3 (South Massif)
Ryder, G., JSC-26088
Catalog of Apollo 17 Rocks Volume 2 - Central Valley, Part 1
Neal, C. R. and L. A. Taylor, JSC-26088
Catalog of Apollo 17 Rocks Volume 3 - Central Valley, Part 2
Neal, C. R. and L. A. Taylor, JSC-26088
Catalog of Apollo 17 Rocks Volume 4 - North Massif
Meyer, C., JSC-26088
Lunar Soils Grain Size Catalog (1993)
J.C. Graf, NASA Reference Publication 1265
- Front Matter
- Apollo 11 soils
- Apollo 12 soils
- Apollo 14 soils
- Apollo 15 soils
- Luna 24 soils
- Apollo 16 soils
- Apollo 17 soils
- Bibliography
To download complete volume (117 MB), click here.
Lunar Petrographic Thin Section Set
Lunar Petrographic Thin Section Set (2003)
Charles Meyer, 67 pages. (Digitized version of the booklet that accompanies the educational thin section set available from the Lunar Sample Curator’s office.)
Lunar geology and petrology
Kurt Hollocher, Union College
Lunar Simulants
Guide to Using Lunar Soil and Simulants for Experimentation (1985)
In Lunar Bases, J. H. Allton et al., 10 pages.
JSC-1: A New Lunar Soil Simulant
Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Workshop (2004)
Design and Specifications for the Highland Regolith Prototype Simulants NU-LHT-1M and -2M (August 2010)
NASA-TM-2010-216438
Generation of Requirements for Simulant Measurements
NASA-TM-2010-216445 (update in September 2010)
This document provides a formal, logical explanation of the parameters selected for the Figure of Merit algorithm used to evaluate lunar regolith simulant. The objectives, requirements, assumptions and analysis behind the parameters is provided.
Figure of Merit Characteristics Compared to Engineering Parameters
NASA-TM-2010-216443 (update in September 2010)
Preliminary Geological Findings on the BP-1 Simulant
NASA-TM-2010-216444 (update in September 2010)
Lunar Regolith Simulant User's Guide (2010)
C. M. Schrader et al., NASA-TM-2010-216446, 40 pages.
Status of Lunar Regolith Simulants and Demand for Apollo Lunar Samples (2010)
LEAG and CAPTEM report, 95 pages.
Thermal Optical Properties of Lunar Dust Simulants and their Constituents (2011)
J. R. Gaier et al., NASA-TM-2011-217232, 20 pages.
Development and Testing of an ISRU Soil Mechanics Vacuum Test Facility (2014)
J. Kleinhenz and A. Wilkinson, NASA-TM-2014-218389, 40 pages.
Lunar Simulant Assessment (2021)
K. Stockstill-Cahill et al., JHU-APL LSII Report, Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium, 43 pages.
Future Sample Requirements
Curation of Geological Materials at a Lunar Outpost (1993)
A.H. Treiman, Office of Curator Publication #87, JSC-26194, 29 pages.
Lunar EVA Sample Mass (2007)
D.A. Kring, 13 page briefing.
Workshop on Architecture Issues Associated with Sampling (2007)
NASA, NP-2009-00-000-HQ, 62 pages.
Analysis of Lunar Sample Mass Capability for the Lunar Exploration Architecture (2007)
Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials (CAPTEM), 14 pages.
Science Challenges of Lunar Sample Return: Workshop Outcomes & Recommendations (2014)
J. Carpenter et al., 19 pages.
Lunar Sample Glossary
Glossary of Lunar Sample Terms (1974)
A.M. Reid et al., NASA Johnson Space Center, 32 pages.
