Fact sheet
Sample 10023 is a coherent regolith breccia with many micrometeorite pits on the top, rounded surface. It was collected as part of the contingency sample and returned in air with the crew to the lunar receiving laboratory at NASA.
Detailed investigations reveal that 10023 contains: mare basalt fragments, lunar highland fragments (anorthosite), regolith breccia, agglutinates, clasts of pyroxene, olivine, plagioclase feldspar, ilmenite, orange glass and other glass, all cemented by a dark matrix (about 40% of the rock is matrix). The glass has been divided into different types: heterogeneous, homogeneous, devitrified and glass-welded aggregates. 27% of the sample is pore space. Additionally, in reflected light, rare small yellow crystals of troilite and silvery metallic iron can be seen.
Further details of this and other Apollo samples are here: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/
The Apollo 11 samples create an iconic collection since they were the first rocks collected by humankind that were returned to Earth from another solar system body. The Apollo 11 team collected and returned 22 kg of rock and soil samples.
Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on 16 July 1969. An estimated 530 million people watched Armstrong's televised image and heard his voice describe the event as he took "...one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" on 20 July 1969.