A lunar meteorite is a piece of the Moon. ... This is why many people think that owning a Moon Rock is illegal – because the Apollo samples are illegal to own by private citizens . Apollo Moon Rocks are NASA and US government property which cannot be sold or exchanged to private citizens.
Can I sell a moon rock?
The authenticity of the material is usually verified by comparing its composition to lunar samples collected from the U.S. or Soviet moon missions. These meteorites are perfectly legal to collect and sell on the open market and often command extremely high prices at auction.
How much is a piece of moon rock worth?
NASA assessed the value of the rocks at around $50,800 per gram in 1973 dollars, based on the total cost of retrieving the samples. That works to just a hair over $300,000 a gram in today’s currency.
Why is moon rock so valuable?
Moon rocks are so expensive because that’s the result of human choice and desire created . These cosmic materials are not made of gold, diamonds, and only some samples contain rare minerals. Moon rocks are alluring and desirable because they do not come from Earth.
Does NASA sell moon rocks?
NASA is officially in the market for Moon rocks — and it’s willing to pay any company that’s capable of scooping them up. ... If satisfied, NASA pledges to purchase the samples for between $15,000 and $25,000. Eventually, NASA will retrieve the rock samples and bring them back to Earth.
Are moon rocks legal?
Although NASA’s lunar missions returned more than 842 pounds of moon rock to Earth, it is illegal for private citizens to own any of it (lunar meteorites, however, are perfectly legal ). Instead, lunar samples were used as goodwill gifts to 135 countries and each of the 50 states.
Is there any gold on the moon?
Digging a little deeper than the Moon’s crust, scientists have discovered that the Moon does indeed have a number of precious metals such as gold and silver .
Can you touch the moon with a bare hand?
Based on measurements of the lunar soil and NASA guidelines on skin contact with hot objects, you would probably be able to press a bare hand against the hottest lunar soil without feeling uncomfortably warm. But if your hand hit a rock, you might find yourself yanking it back in pain.
How much is a NASA space suit?
North Dakota suit
The suit has a mass of 47 pounds (21 kg) without a life support backpack, and costs only a fraction of the standard US$12,000,000 cost for a flight-rated NASA space suit.
How much is a space rock?
A prime specimen will easily fetch $50/gram while rare examples of lunar and Martian meteorites may sell for $1,000/gram or more — almost forty times the current price of gold!
How much is a meteorite worth?
Common iron meteorite prices are generally in the range of US$0.50 to US$5.00 per gram . Stone meteorites are much scarcer and priced in the US$2.00 to US$20.00 per gram range for the more common material. It is not unusual for the truly scarce material to exceed US$1,000 per gram.
Are moon rocks radioactive?
Now, scientists have discovered unusually high levels of iron-60 in moon rocks gathered during Apollo missions 12, 15 and 16 between 1969 and 1972. ...
Can you touch a moon rock?
Visitors can touch a rock from the Moon in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC . Four other lunar samples are on display at the Museum.
Can I buy a piece of the moon?
It is true! You too can become a Lunar Land Owner by purchasing acres of land on the Moon. LUNAR LAND company is the world’s most recognized Celestial Real Estate Agency and has been selling land on the Moon for decades. ... Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get your very own piece of land on the moon today!
How many moon rocks are left?
Of the 270 Apollo 11 Moon rocks and the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rocks that were given to the nations of the world by the Nixon Administration, approximately 180 are unaccounted for. Many of these rocks that are accounted for have been locked away in storage for decades.
Can you find moon rocks on Earth?
Moon rock or lunar rock refers to rock that is found on the Earth’s Moon . This includes lunar material collected during the course of human exploration of the Moon, and rock that has been ejected naturally from the Moon’s surface and landed on the Earth as meteorites.
