Historical Photo of the Month - November 2009

Lunar Rock Breaker
Photograph Number 325-724Ac

In 1969 JPL developed a device that was used inside the small vacuum chamber where lunar samples were processed. It would split lunar rocks into pieces and then pressure-weld lids onto small sample containers.

The photo above shows the prototype rock-breaker/can-sealer in a mockup of the vacuum chamber. A glove box operator would put the sample in place, and this attachment applied up to 16 tons of pressure to split the rock into a manageable size. With a change of attachments it would seal the top of the round metal can. The samples were sent to scientists around the U.S. for analysis.

The design requirements of this device were that it had to be self-contained, hand operated, with no power source or hydraulic components. It had to fit in a 12-inch cube, be easily moved and disassembled, and made of aluminum and stainless steel which would not contaminate the lunar samples. Two of the devices were delivered to the Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the Manned Spaceflight Center (now Johnson) so that tests could be run before the launch of Apollo 11 in July 1969.

For more information about the history of JPL, contact the JPL Archives for assistance. [Archival and other sources: Photo indexes and Lab-Oratory, August 1969.]