Pony
12-08-2011, 10:50 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA's Inspector General says the space agency seems to have misplaced some pieces of the moon, meteorites and other space stuff.
NASA concedes that more than 500 pieces of space material have been stolen or been missing since 1970. That includes 218 stolen moon samples that were returned and about two dozen moon rocks and chunks of lunar soil that were reported lost last year.
NASA has loaned more than 21,500 samples to researchers, who in some cases said they never ended up using the material.
The report says NASA needs to keep better track of what is sent to researchers and museums.
NASA concedes that more than 500 pieces of space material have been stolen or been missing since 1970. That includes 218 stolen moon samples that were returned and about two dozen moon rocks and chunks of lunar soil that were reported lost last year.
NASA has loaned more than 21,500 samples to researchers, who in some cases said they never ended up using the material.
The report says NASA needs to keep better track of what is sent to researchers and museums.