Using the power of the internet - answer this one

The wife and I are watching the HBO series "From Earth to the Moon", (awesome show) and this one is about Apollo 15. In it, they collect a rock called the Genesis Stone. They make reference that this stone is sample #15415. The wife and I engage into a debate on sample numbering techniques that they were using.

To me, the system there were using is 15 = Appollo 15, and 415 means sample 415. Possibly it's sample 15 of something 4 - be it day 4 or bin 4 or such.

The wife thinks I'm full of it.

So which is it? Can you track down the sample number and if the 15 in the front probably means it's from Apollo 15?

http://www.movieprop.com/tvandmovie/...ridegenuis.jpg

Check out page 12 of this pdf: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/sa...ocHandbook.pdf

You are mostly right. The first two digits represent the mission while the last three are just a sequential number assigned to that sample.

The late poster never get the worm lol. Bribo you are right about the rock. I talked to my Great Uncle who worked for Martin Meritta (Lockheed Martin now) and NASA during that period of time and he said pretty much the same thing that you did. With a whole lot more technical definition thrown in on how they got that far. Interesting times at NASA back then.

I am trying to get his Daughter to sit down and record him and have him talk about his times with NASA and Martin Meritta. With him being 90 the clock is ticking to get those stories put on video.