Sample-return mission

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sample-return-mission

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Sample-return mission?382 kilograms (842 pounds)
2. What is the first asteroid sample return mission?Hayabusa (JAXA) from Itokawa (2010)
3. What is the key technological component?Planetary protection protocols for sample containment
4. Why do scientists want to bring back rocks from the Moon?Because the rocks show the Moon's volcanic history and help us learn how it was formed.
5. How do sample-return missions help us find signs of life?By bringing back material to Earth, scientists can use powerful lab tools to look for tiny clues that might show life once existed.

In-situ analysis: Scientific investigation conducted directly at the location of the sample or phenomenon.
Ex-situ analysis: Scientific investigation conducted away from the original location of the sample, typically in a laboratory.
Biosignature: A substance or phenomenon that provides evidence of past or present life.
Regolith: A layer of loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock.