Update: Chang’e-5’s return capsule landed back on Earth December 16. It and its moon rocks were transported to the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing for analysis and storage. For the first ...

A Soviet Luna spacecraft lifts off from the Moon after collecting a drill sample for return to Earth (early to mid-1970s). Samples are currently making news for NASA’s planetary exploration program.

Visit NAP.edu/10766 to get more information about this book, to buy it in print, or to download it as a free PDF. The United States possesses a treasure trove of extraterrestrial samples that were ...