Researchers in NASA had a very special gift last Christmas Season which was a mass of moon soil from Apollo to study this year.
Last summer of 2019, NASA had their 50th anniversary of the “historic Apollo 11 mission” that successfully landed astronauts on the moon in the year 1969. The program Apollo had history of landings carrying 6 humans between the years 1969 and 1972, where astronauts were able to gain 382 kg of rocks as well as moon soil. Presently, scientists can study these samples from the moon in more detail with our advances in technology.
According to NASA, the fresh Apollo samples given last holiday season had been frozen and secured for 50 years already. The moon rock/regolith samples will be studied by Elsila and her team to know the chemical compounds that are found in its grains.
Elsila together with her team will be focusing on the samples gained during the 1972 “Apollo 17 mission”. The place where the moon soil was collected came from the Taurusittrow Valley which is Mare Serenitatis’ eastern rim, just close to the site of landing. The samples studied by Elsil and her team will bring more light to the chemistry related to the beginning or creation of the solar system.