North Carolina lunar sample displays North Carolina lunar sample displays The North Carolina lunar sample displays are part of two commemorative plaques consisting of small fragments of Moon specimen brought back with the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 lunar missions and given in the 1970s to the people of the state of North Carolina by United States President Richard Nixon as goodwill gifts. The North Carolina Apollo 11 lunar sample display commemorative podium-style plaque consists of four "moon rock" rice-sized particle specimens that were collected by Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969 and a small North Carolina state flag that was
Buzz Aldrin that he thought Aldrin "resents not being first on the moon more than he appreciates being second." Aldrin and Armstrong did not have time to perform much geological training. The first lunar landing focused more on landing on the Moon and making it safely back to Earth than the scientific aspects of the mission. The duo were briefed by NASA and USGS geologists. They made one geological training expedition to west Texas. The press followed them, and a helicopter made it hard for Aldrin and Armstrong to hear their instructor. An estimated one million spectators watched the launch of Apollo