Moon rock on display for first time in East Texas

Lufkin, TX (KETK) — A moon rock is on display for the first time in East Texas.

East Texans can view the space rock at the Naranjo Museum of Natural History in Lufkin.

It's an Apollo 15 lunar sample collected by Astronaut James Irwin at Station 8, adjacent to the lunar module landing.

The rock weights 109 grams and is a fragment of the original rock, which weighed 2,672 grams once returned to Earth. The rock is lunar basalt, approximately 3,300,000,000 years old.

That is older than 98 percent of all earth surface rocks.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with NASA and receive the opportunity to display a moon rock for the first time in East Texas," said Dr. Naranjo. "In addition to the moon rock, NASA has also loaned the museum a space re-entry helmet, which will be on display with our permanent space exhibit."