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Opening a 50-year-old Christmas present from the Moon

FredPret 5y ago
This is truly inspiring. What a gift to be alive in the modern age
magneticnorth 5y ago
This is fascinating, but the article is just about how they're going to open this soil sample "soon". When? I'm interested to hear about what they actually learn.
rhtgrg 5y ago
I couldn't find anything remotely to do with Christmas in this article. Did I miss something?
- FPGAhacker 5y ago
  It’s an allusion to the time of the year.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
harywilke 5y ago
The Apollo missions continue giving 50years on. Another ongoing experiment is the Lunar Laser Ranging experiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Laser_Ranging_experiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Laser_Ranging_experiment
imrankhan17 5y ago
Is there a reason they waited 50 years? Was it specifically to wait for new technology to analyse the sample?
- realityking 5y ago
  Appears so. I found an article from 2019 when they opened some samples as well. > […] NASA also made the decision to keep some samples completely untouched as an investment in the future, allowing them to be analyzed with more advanced technologies as they are developed. These include samples that remained sealed in their original containers, as well as some stored under special conditions, all intended to be opened and analyzed with more advanced analytical technologies than were available during Apollo. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-opens-previously-unopened-apollo-sample-ahead-of-artemis-missions https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-opens-previously-unopened-...
ozfive 5y ago
I always enjoy the pictures since I imagine them 20 - 50 years from now looking like ancient tech. These are 50 years old already. I have been researching old oscilloscopes and find it all crusty and old but it was cutting edge back then. It's crazy to think that our kids won't know or understand our tech as they grow... and they won't know or understand their own from when they grew up.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
pomian 5y ago
ESA - For all those others who don't know, off hand ; ESA = European Space Agency.

This is truly inspiring. What a gift to be alive in the modern age

This is fascinating, but the article is just about how they're going to open this soil sample "soon". When? I'm interested to hear about what they actually learn.

rhtgrg 5y ago

I couldn't find anything remotely to do with Christmas in this article. Did I miss something?

FPGAhacker 5y ago
It’s an allusion to the time of the year.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

harywilke 5y ago

The Apollo missions continue giving 50years on. Another ongoing experiment is the Lunar Laser Ranging experiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Laser_Ranging_experiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Laser_Ranging_experiment

imrankhan17 5y ago

Is there a reason they waited 50 years? Was it specifically to wait for new technology to analyse the sample?

realityking 5y ago
Appears so. I found an article from 2019 when they opened some samples as well. > […] NASA also made the decision to keep some samples completely untouched as an investment in the future, allowing them to be analyzed with more advanced technologies as they are developed. These include samples that remained sealed in their original containers, as well as some stored under special conditions, all intended to be opened and analyzed with more advanced analytical technologies than were available during Apollo. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-opens-previously-unopened-apollo-sample-ahead-of-artemis-missions https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-opens-previously-unopened-...

ozfive 5y ago

I always enjoy the pictures since I imagine them 20 - 50 years from now looking like ancient tech. These are 50 years old already. I have been researching old oscilloscopes and find it all crusty and old but it was cutting edge back then. It's crazy to think that our kids won't know or understand our tech as they grow... and they won't know or understand their own from when they grew up.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

pomian 5y ago

ESA - For all those others who don't know, off hand ; ESA = European Space Agency.