A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one 🪨 #TBT When the Apollo 16 crew landed on the Moon, they were tasked with inspecting, surveying, and sampling the materials and surfaces of their landing site, the Descartes region. Geologists expected the area to be made of volcanic rock, however, the samples they collected mainly consisted of breccias – impact-formed rocks from meteorites or comets. Pictured here collecting samples, astronauts John Young and Charles Duke collected 212 pounds (96 kg) of breccia, lunar rock, and soil. Despite these samples not consisting of any ancient volcanic rocks, they provided valuable information about the role meteorite impacts played in the formation of the Descartes region. Credit: NASA #Moon #NASA #Space #Apollo #Apollo16 #Astronaut #LunarMission #Space