For those who have never been to the Moon, a piece of the Moon has come to you. The newest exhibit at the Golden School of Mines will be featuring one of the oldest examples of geology collected during the Apollo 17 mission. In 1974, this moon rock was given as a gift to then Colorado Governor John Vanderhoof from President Richard Nixon. Similar fragments of extra-terrestrial terra firma were also given to the Governors of all 50 States in the USA and samples were sent as “Goodwill” gifts to more than 160 foreign countries around the globe.

During a ceremony on August 25th at the Colorado School of Mines, Governor Bill Ritter and Mines President Bill Scoggins unveiled the new exhibit and introduced it as a permanent public display in the Museum of Geology. Visitors to the School of Mines can begin seeing the moon rock display on Monday, August 30, 2010.  “On behalf of the people of Colorado, I would like to thank Mines for agreeing to incorporate this important piece of science and history into a public exhibit,” Gov. Ritter said. “Residents, visitors and students alike will now have an opportunity to learn – and to be inspired – by this new moon rock display. Space exploration is an important part of Colorado’s history and economy, and this display will serve as a great testament to where humankind has been, and where we can go.”

Also taking part in the unveiling was former NASA administrator and astronaut Richard Truly, who serves on the School of Mines’ Board of Trustees. Colorado has a rich history of space exploration, with 21 astronauts either born or having attended college in Colorado. The state is home to one of the largest aerospace industries in the country, boasting 300 aerospace-related companies and nearly 170,000 jobs.

The only sources of Moon rocks currently on Earth have come from either US Apollo missions, Soviet Union Luna missions or fell to earth as meteorites. Over the history of NASA Moon missions, well over 800 lbs of rock was collected – the majority by the Astronauts of Apollo 15, 16 and 17. Moon rock image:  Collected by Apollo 16 from the Lunar Highlands near Descartes Crater. This sample is currently on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

Where You Can See the Moon Rock: