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Lunar Receiving Laboratory Project HistoryAs early as 1959, the Working Group on Lunar Exploration within NASA advocated that 'one of the prime objectives of the first lunar landing mission should be the collection of samples for return to Earth, where they could be subjected to detailed study and analysis.' Within NASA, neither this group nor any other scientists working with the Agency were concerned about back contamination issues. Outside of NASA, back contamination concerns had been raised as early as 1960. Although NASA did not seem to pay any attention to the concerns at that time, the scientific community continued to be interested in the topic. In 1962 and again in 1963, as the Apollo Program loomed large, further discussions were held. These early discussions of back contamination did not make their way into NASA's administration, however, and when Manned Spacecraft Center personnel began to articulate early concepts for the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL), the back contamination issue was not considered. Once this concern became a major focus, however, the LRL's development became increasingly complex. This is the history of that development.
Document ID
20040200959
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Mangus, Susan
(Muskingum Coll. New Concord, OH, United States)
Larsen, William
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2004
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
NASA/CR-2004-208938
S-924
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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