Soil Sampler, Contingency, Apollo

Display Status:

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

Collection Item Summary:

The Contingency Soil Sampler was a device which allowed the astronauts to quickly take a soil sample soon after they stepped onto the lunar surface. The sample was taken to the Lunar Module and stored for ascent to insure that some lunar soil would be returned to Earth even in the event of an emergency that forced early termination of the mission. Contingency samplers were taken on Apollo 11, 12, 14, and 15.

This item was used for training and was transferred to the Smithsonian in 1974.