Judging by how long time has passed by since humanity landed on the Moon the first time, you might be tempted to believe that there’s nothing more to learn about our natural satellite. But astronomy is one of those fields that regularly receive updates.
According to The Sun, NASA is starting to open a sample brought from the Moon roughly 50 years ago. That was the last time an astronaut laid foot on the brightest object from the night sky: in 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission.
Let’s give credit to Eugene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt!
Eugene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt are the names of the two astronauts who extracted the lunar sample 50 years ago.
Surely you’re wondering what took NASA so long to open the sample. The reason is represented by the fact that the space agency wanted to explore the sample by using advanced technology.
Lori Glaze from NASA and also the director of the Planetary Science Division, stated as quoted by the space agency’s website:
The agency knew science and technology would evolve and allow scientists to study the material in new ways to address new questions in the future,
The ANGSA initiative was designed to examine these specially stored and sealed samples.
Astronomers have the hunch that the sample might contain volatiles, meaning substances that can evaporate in certain conditions.
NASA hopes to send humans to the Moon once again during the Artemis mission that’s scheduled to start in 2025. The absence of space missions to our natural satellite involving astronauts has lead to some interesting and amusing conspiracy theories. One of them claims that astronauts encountered alien life forms that became hostile.
Whatever the truth is, exploring the Moon, with or without human crew, is very important for astronomy.