Studying Moon Rock Samples to Prepare for Artemis Missions

Video Credit- BBC Earth Science, Exploring Moons and their Mysteries, YouTube 2024

The Moon is a record of our solar system and many of the earliest aspects of its formation due to the age of its surface. The Moon's surface and rocks accessible are over 4.5 billion years old and are a wonderful resource for learning about how the solar system formed and what can foster early life where we live.

The samples taken during the Apollo Missions to the Moon some 50 years ago are being examined again after being stored for half a century to prepare us for the Artemis Missions. Scientists have a new suite of lab tests and analysis methods that make the samples taken during the Apollo Missions more valuable. Scientists from the Apollo era had the foresight to preserve samples in vaults for future methods that could uncover secrets held in the ancient rocks.

Moons in our solar system including Europa may contain life and further records of activity in our early solar system. It is possible that we could discover clandestine fossils and records or ancient life on moons of planets in our solar system. The rocks from our Moon that have been resting in vaults for half a century will provide insights into collection methods, sample storage and biomarkers we seek.