Gathering samples from the moon’s surface was so important to NASA that Neil Armstrong’s instructions were to do so as soon as he stepped onto the moon’s surface. He was to put rock samples into a pocket in his spacesuit so that he and Buzz Aldrin would have something to bring back to earth in case they had to leave suddenly.

It is no surprise, then, that the box designed to hold their moon rocks, dust, and core samples was one of the most important pieces of equipment they brought to the moon. The rock box -- technically known as the Apollo Lunar Sample Return Container (ALSRC) – which is on display in the Museum’s “SPACE: Our Greatest Adventure” special exhibition, is the very one brought to the moon on the Lunar Module of Apollo 11.

To learn more about this fascinating facet of the Apollo astronaut’s visits to the lunar surface, visit:

https://sandiegoairandspace.org/collection/item/apollo-rock-box