Article author:
Associated Press
Marc E. Platt
Boston (AP) — NASA wants to get the moon dust and cockroaches back.
The Space Agency was supplied to Cockroach during an experiment to determine if moon rocks contained some kind of moon rocks in a Boston-based RR auction in 1969. Requested to stop selling moon rocks collected during the Apollo 11 mission. A pathogen that threatened the life of the earth.
The material that NASA lawyers said in their letter to the auctioneer is still federal.
Experimental material, including a vial containing about 40 milligrams of moon dust and three cockroach carcasses, was expected to sell for at least $ 400,000, but was withdrawn from the auction block. Said on Thursday.
"All Apollo samples belong to NASA, as specified in this collection of items, analysis, destruction, NASA letter dated June 15th.
goes on to say: Apollo November Soil Experiment (Gokiburi, Slides, and Post-Fracture Testing) by Immediately Stopping the Bidding Process. One piece) ", NASA wrote.
In another letter dated 22 June, NASA lawyers requested the RR auction to return the material to the federal government in cooperation with the current owner of the material.
The Apollo 11 mission brought over 47 pounds (21.3 kilograms) of moon rocks back to Earth. Some have fed insects, fish, and other small creatures to see if they can be killed.
Moon dust-fed cockroaches were taken to the University of Minnesota, where entomologist Marion Brooks dissected and studied them.
"No evidence of an infectious pathogen was found," Brooks, who died in 2007, told Minnea Polistolibune in October 1969. According to the article, she found no evidence that the lunar substance was toxic or caused other adverse effects on insects.
However, the moon rocks and cockroaches were never returned to NASA and were instead exhibited at Brooks's home. Her daughter sold them in 2010, and now they are being put up for sale again by shippers that RR did not disclose.
RR auction lawyer Mark Zaid said it was not uncommon for a third party to claim what was being auctioned.
"NASA has a track record of pursuing items related to early space programs," Zaid said, but doing so was inconsistent. did. NASA admitted in one of its letters that it was unaware of previous auctions of cockroach experimental items.
"We have worked with NASA before and have always worked with the US government when claiming items," Zaid said. "After all, we want to act properly and legally."
RR auctions hold a lot for now, but in the end, something with NASA He said it was up to the shipper to resolve the issue.
