Bag, Sample Containment, Lunar Surface

This type bag was use during the later Apollo missions (15,16,17) to enclose the "sample collection bags" once they were filled with rocks, soil, core tubes or other materials selected for return to Earth. Two sample collection bags were sealed in the Apollo Lunar Sample Return Containers (ALSRC) so that the samples would be isolated as far as possible from contamination while on the return trip. The others were placed inside of these containment bags before stowage in the Lunar Module. The purpose was to limit dust contamination of the returning spacecraft.

This item was qualified for flight but not flown. NASA transferred it to the Smithsonian in 1974.