The Mystery of the Missing Moon Trees (Apollo 14-can you find one?)

15 years after NASA astronomer David Williams started searching for them, hundreds of trees grown from space-faring seeds are still missing.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/321ef4e9b443.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/df51d84808d5.jpg[/atsimg]
NASA Goddard’s moon sycamore.

The “moon trees,” whose seeds circled the moon 34 times in Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa’s pocket, were welcomed back to Earth with great fanfare in 1971. One was planted in Washington Square in Philadelphia as part of the 1975 bicentennial celebrations. Another took root at the White House. Several found homes at state capitals and space-related sites around the country. Then-president Gerald Ford called the trees “living symbol[s] of our spectacular human and scientific achievements.” And then, mysteriously, everyone seemed to forget about them.

“The careful records weren’t kept, or if they were kept they weren’t maintained,” Williams said. Williams, whose job includes archiving data from the Apollo missions, hadn’t even heard of the moon trees until a third grade teacher e-mailed him in 1996 to ask about a tree at the Camp Koch Girl Scout Camp in Cannelton, Indiana.

Williams has made it his mission to find them. For the past 15 years, he has kept a record on the web of every known tree’s location. When he started in 1996, he only knew where 22 trees were found. Now, that number has climbed to 80.

But the climb is slow. Mostly, Williams heard of new trees when a hiker or a park visitor found one and e-mailed him about it. The e-mails are ever fewer and farther between, he says.

Source: www.wired.com...#

i find this story absolutely fascinating.

Did any of you ATSers know of this?

I am already looking for one in my area. Maybe the Philly ATSers can check up on that one down there.

Lets find some for ATS sake and get them reported in!!!!

Look around your state capitols!

reply to post by anon72


I just found this awesome site. There are 3 trees near me. One about 10 miles away. I think I will check it out and get a photo.

Here is a list of known ones: I am still checking the state record office to see if one in a the PA Capitol in Harrisburg PA.

The Moon Trees:
nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov...

Here you go, this is one in Ohio, my native state.

nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov...

Nice thread anon72. Surprised by lack of apparent lack of interest. I'm at work now but added to my must read over the weekend. I too am finding I enjoy rediscovering the non political exchanges on ATS. They are too draining.

Kinda reminds me of the missing Moon rock saga.

Very interesting and nice job!

reply to post by kinda kurious


Thank you Sir. These things capture my heart. More than Palin.... )

PS you might want to stay away from the political forum today. I was busy. ( (he makes me do it).

Have a great weekend.

PSS. the one person I know who truly appreciates these types of threads... Is you. Makes me smile (honest).

Come on now. No Tree huggers out there? With a bit of NASA tossed into the mix.

Can't that be enough to kick start your interest a little?

I figured some enterprising young ATSer would have run out, snap a pic and posted it by now.

Dang! Not one in Texas. It's a conspiracy, I tells ya'!

Good thread, Anon.

reply to post by anon72


I found one here in Washington state..

nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov...

pretty cool. as i have never heard of these trees until today..

S & F for you..

Brilliant topic.
I just joined the forum..seems like a great place to discuss all things outer space.

Did any of these moon trees grow any place outside of the US? Sure would love to see one here in UK where I am

reply to post by baddmove


Glad to hear of it. You would think that one would have been sent to each State Capitol-at the least. But, it doesn't appear the PA's capitol complex has any. I tried to find out-I have some friends that work at the complex and I had them check.

Found out some other cool things-that I may do a thread on it the info pans out. Stay tuned.

lovely topic and I'd love to help but I live in Somerset, England and I don't think any got sent here

S&F though even though I do feel a bit left out!

Edit to say actually I'm not totally sure about that my memory has been jogged but I don't know whether I'm remembering something from a film or my own life, I'll keep it at the back of my head and see if anything jumps forwards.

I remember in Elementary school our class sent some tomato seeds in space with the shuttle. We were to track the progress of the space seeds when they came back and how much they grew. I even made the paper measuring mine I had that tomato plant for years and then my grandparents planted it in their garden and it grew just fine. Good tomatoes

S&F I love space topics

Sweet there is a tree at the Kennedy Space Center! I will be there this week for the shuttle launch. I will look for it and take pics and post them to your thread

Cool thread Anon!

I'm real close to one. Actually, I can probably hit it with a rock from here.

I'm gonna go check it out today sometime.

Maybe I'll take some pics.

Odd, it appears that two are at a "private residence". I wonder how this character pulled that off...

awwww it looks like the UK only got second generation moon trees

Demand outstripped supply. Stan Krugman created second-generation saplings, the offspring of a Moon Tree and an earthly specimen, but still requests kept on coming, from abroad as well as home.

Moon Tree plaque at Camp Koch (Nasa pic)
The 'rediscovery' of Moon Trees began at a Girl Scout camp in 1997

"They went all over Europe - France, Germany, Spain - we know Douglas fir, sweetgum and redwood do very well in Europe. The British Isles got half a dozen."

source

reply to post by Tharsis


I was wondering myself what one had to do to rate a Space/Moon tree at their home-and not have their address listed etc.

BIG Donors I am sure. Maybe scientist. I think I will inquire about that aspect of this story.

Star- for thinking like me