NASA Will Open Pristine, Sealed Samples of Moon Rock

Re:NASA Will Open Pristine, Sealed Samples of Moon Rock by xenonite on Wednesday July 10, 2019 @05:42AM (#20400474)

> the samples that were set aside during Apollo for some far-off day when new and better instruments would allow for markedly improved analysis.

However, there is no single mention about new and better instruments that are available now. Does anyone know more details here? Instead, I can imagine that there is another reason to analyze the stones just now: to generate more NASA media coverage to motivate a new lunar mission.

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Re:NASA Will Open Pristine, Sealed Samples of Moon Rock by dsl on Wednesday July 10, 2019 @12:55PM (#20403815)

> there is no single mention about new and better instruments that are available now

Computers that don't require vacuum tubes?

Just to understand the technology of the time: the first automated blood test was invented less than 5 years prior. The scanning electron microscope becomes commercially available 5 years later. The first MRI would happen about 10 years later.

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Re:NASA Will Open Pristine, Sealed Samples of Moon Rock by xenonite on Sunday July 14, 2019 @04:33AM (#20432407)

I certainly agree that there has been a lot of progress over the last 50 years. However I would still like to know which recently devised (or at least improved) instrument lead NASA to open the seals just now. Or isn’t there any?

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Re:NASA Will Open Pristine, Sealed Samples of Moon Rock by xfitm3 on Wednesday July 10, 2019 @10:03AM (#20402017)

Why wouldn't you support returning to the moon? NASA is part of the government, and PR/politics matter.

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