NASA will open the last capsules with lunar soil mined 50 years ago

In the 1970s, the NASA aerospace agencyconducted the long-term Apollo space program. It included several missions in which astronauts visited the moon and collected soil samples. In total, during the program, 2196 test tubes with valuable cargo were obtained and delivered to Earth. Over the following decades, numerous groups of scientists studied the collected pieces of our planet's natural satellite to learn details about its history and other properties. At the moment, only three test tubes remain unopened, and scientists want to open them in the coming years. In February 2022, researchers began dissecting specimen 73001, which is one of the latest. Experts believe that not only soil particles, but also gases and even water can be inside it. Because of this, opening the tube takes a very long time. We will talk about this now.

Collection of lunar soil samples as part of the Apollo 17 mission

Study of lunar soil samples

According to Science Alert,specialists from NASA did not open all the capsules at once, because there is a good reason for this. The fact is that technologies are constantly developing, and methods for studying space objects are becoming more accurate every year. Scientists carefully studied several samples in the second half of the 20th century and obtained important results for science. But today, having studied the same samples, you can extract even more interesting information. In recent years, spectrometers have improved especially strongly - optical instruments that make it possible to study the spectra of electromagnetic radiation and recognize even the smallest particles of substances. This means that today scientists can explore the composition of the lunar soil in as much detail as possible.

Science and technology will evolve and allow scientists to study material in new ways to tackle new questions in the future,” explained NASA Planetary Science Director Lori Glaze.

Not all samples of lunar soil are stored in a test tube - the stones are in bags

At the beginning of 2022, in the hands of scientists waslunar soil sample number 73001. It was collected by astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in December 1972, as part of the Apollo 17 mission. The soil was taken from the Taurus-Littrow lunar valley, which was the object of study during the flight. This place and the soil there has attracted the attention of scientists, because at one point in the history of the moon there was a landslide. For reference, this is the name of a natural phenomenon in which rocks move along a slope under the influence of their own weight or other load like rain. There is no precipitation on the Moon, so scientists want to know what exactly caused the landslide.

It doesn’t rain on the Moon, so we don’t quite understand how landslides could occur there,” said Juliane Gross, deputy curator of the Apollo program.

Astronomers at Taurus–Littrow Valley

See also: How many billions of dollars does it cost to return people to the moon?

How do scientists study lunar soil?

The lunar soil capsule is shaped like a tube35 cm long and 4 cm wide. Scientists believe that volatile substances such as carbon dioxide or even liquid may be contained inside it. But, most likely, there are very few of them, so the opening of the capsule must be done very carefully so as not to miss anything. In February, the researchers removed the capsule from the protective layer. Then, for a whole week, they made a tiny hole to extract gases. The image below shows Julian Gross, mentioned above, and his colleague Francesca McDonald using a lancing device.

Scientists make a hole in a test tube with lunar soil

It is expected that in the spring from the test tube will be extractedthe soil itself, after which it is crushed into several parts. This is necessary so that the sample goes to several scientific groups at once, each of which has its own task - so the work on the study will go much faster.

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As mentioned at the beginning of the article, today inAt the disposal of scientists there are three more samples of lunar soil that are still not open. Researchers believe that they will be studied in the next decade, because there is no point in waiting another 50 years. Indeed, already in 2025, NASA plans to carry out the Artemis mission, in which people will return to the moon again and be able to take new samples. Most likely, the last of the test tubes available today will be opened after the return of people to Earth, because scientists will have the opportunity to compare old and new samples.