Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility
In 1964, a proposal emerged for a small sample receiving laboratory equipped with remote-controlled manipulators operating in a sterile high-vacuum chamber. This initial design aimed to prepare samples for distribution to scientists while maintaining strict sterility. A committee of the Space Science Board reviewed this idea and sought to address multiple concerns regarding the facility's scope. One fear was that creating a facility with too great capacity would discourage distribution to outside researchers. Space biologists and the United States Public Health Service expressed concern about back contamination of Earth by extraterrestrial microorganisms. Although many astronauts and scientists were skeptical that non-terrestrial microorganisms could survive lunar conditions, the committee took these warnings seriously. To address these issues, the committee recommended a laboratory with limited analytical capacity in 1965. The plan also included an ability to quarantine returning astronauts and their samples from the Moon.
The Lunar Receiving Laboratory completed construction in Building 37 at the Johnson Space Center in 1967 at a cost of $7.8 million. This facility processed lunar materials but lacked adequate storage for previous mission samples after Apollo 12. NASA dropped the vacuum requirement in favor of a simpler nitrogen atmosphere to make handling easier. An additional vault and the Sample Storage and Processing Laboratory were built in Building 31 of the Johnson Space Center. All lunar samples moved from the LRL to Building 31 after the last Apollo mission ended. Concerns grew about maintaining the entire collection in one facility vulnerable to hurricanes or military actions. Fourteen percent of the lunar sample collection moved to an ammunition bunker at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio in 1976. Police escorted this transport secretly at night using a specially modified passenger bus. The smaller collection remained at Brooks until 2002 when the base transitioned from military control under the Base Realignment and Closure process. Second-site lunar materials then moved to the White Sands Test Facility where a new smaller facility was built inside an existing secure building.
With selection of lunar samples secured offsite, construction began on the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility in 1977. The project took place as a new annex of Building 31 designated as Building 31N at the Johnson Space Center. Built for a cost of $2.5 million, the structure rose quickly to meet urgent storage needs. The building dedicated its doors on the 20th of July 1979 marking the tenth anniversary of the first human Moon landing. This two-story facility housed storage vaults elevated above anticipated storm-surge sea level heights. During hurricane threats, a water-tight door bolts into the frame of the pristine sample vault to protect contents. The design prioritized protection against natural disasters while maintaining strict environmental controls for sensitive materials.
All materials used in constructing and equipping the building were carefully screened to exclude chemical elements posing unacceptable contamination threats. Floor coverings, walls, plumbing, light fixtures, and paint all underwent rigorous testing before installation. Air in the facility filtered out all suspended particles through advanced filtration systems. Laboratories and vaults maintained air pressure slightly higher than atmospheric levels to keep unfiltered air from entering. Particulate concentration monitored regularly across various areas ensured consistent cleanliness standards. People entering laboratories donned cleanroom suits before handling any equipment or samples. Most samples never received direct human contact during processing phases. Researchers prepared samples inside stainless steel cabinets using multi-layered gloves attached to the cabinet exterior. High-purity nitrogen purged the atmosphere within these cabinets continuously. Oxygen and moisture contents remained under constant monitoring throughout operations. When research required exposure to potential contaminants, samples stayed separate from pristine collections after return.
Apollo missions returned 382 kilograms of lunar rocks totaling 842 pounds over six flights between 1969 and 1972. These included core samples, pebbles, sand, and lunar surface dust comprising 2200 individual specimens. Seventy-five percent of lunar materials returned by Apollo now housed at the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility. Some materials processed into smaller pieces resulted in more than 110,000 individually cataloged samples available for study. The Genesis Rock stands as perhaps the most notable sample stored at the facility today. This specimen ultimately determined nearly as old as the Moon itself remains a cornerstone of lunar geology research. Big Muley holds another distinction as the largest sample returned from the Moon by Apollo. Both artifacts reside safely within the vaults designed specifically for their preservation needs.
The Johnson Space Center houses extraterrestrial samples beyond those from Apollo missions including Antarctic meteorites collected on ANSMET expeditions. Cosmic dust collected by NASA aircraft and solar wind atoms gathered by the Genesis spacecraft also find storage here. Comet particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft and interstellar dust particles from the same mission add to the collection. Of the total lunar samples returned by the Apollo program, some remain stored at the White Sands Test Facility. Other small samples distributed to foreign heads of state, U.S. states, museums, and other institutions expanded global access. NASA made educational packs available for exhibition purposes each consisting of six small rock and soil samples in lucite discs. Thin petrological sections accompanied these discs for classroom use. Lunar samples returned to Earth by three automated Soviet spacecraft Luna 16, Luna 20, and Luna 24 also entered the inventory.
Approximately 100 people visit the facility annually for research or educational purposes while hundreds receive samples yearly. Researchers seeking samples submit proposals evaluated by an independent peer review panel before approval. Forty to fifty such proposals approved each year allow scientists to study lunar materials directly. Approximately 400 lunar samples sent to these researchers weigh less than one gram each. Non-pristine samples return to the lab after research completed ensuring proper cataloging and storage. The facility maintains room to store many more lunar samples anticipating future returns from upcoming missions. This system balances scientific inquiry with strict preservation requirements for all extraterrestrial materials under its care.
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Common questions
When was the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility completed and what was its cost?
The Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility construction began in 1977 and opened on the 20th of July 1979 at a cost of $2.5 million.
Where is the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility located within the Johnson Space Center?
The Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility exists as Building 31N, an annex to Building 31 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
How many lunar samples does the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility store from Apollo missions?
Seventy-five percent of all lunar materials returned by Apollo now reside at the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility with over 110,000 individually cataloged specimens available for study.
What security measures protect the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility during hurricanes?
A water-tight door bolts into the frame of the sample vaults when hurricane threats occur while storage vaults remain elevated above anticipated storm-surge sea level heights.
Which specific lunar samples are stored inside the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility vaults?
The Genesis Rock and Big Muley stand as notable artifacts stored safely within the vaults designed specifically for their preservation needs.