DECEMBER 8, 2011

AUDIT REPORT

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 (ASSIGNMENT NO. A-11-015-00)

OFFICE OF AUDITS

NASA’S MANAGEMENT OF MOON ROCKS AND OTHER 

ASTROMATERIALS LOANED FOR RESEARCH,

EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC DISPLAY

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration
REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Final report released by:

Paul K. Martin

Inspector General

Acronyms

ARES Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science

CAPTEM Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials

NPD NASA Policy Directive

NPR NASA Procedural Requirements

OIG Office of Inspector General

μm Micrometers
DECEMBER 8, 2011

REPORT NO. IG-12-007

OVERVIEW

NASA’S MANAGEMENT OF MOON ROCKS AND OTHER 

ASTROMATERIALS LOANED FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND 

PUBLIC DISPLAY

The Issue

Materials originating from extraterrestrial environments, commonly referred to as

astromaterials, are a rare and limited resource that serve an important role for research,

education, and as a legacy for future generations. NASA’s collection of astromaterials 

includes lunar rock and soil samples; meteorites from asteroids, Mars, and the Moon; 

ions from the outer layers of the Sun (Genesis); dust from comets and interstellar space 

(Stardust); and cosmic dust from Earth’s stratosphere.1

worldwide. For example, NASA-sponsored 

research on a 4.1-billion-year-old meteorite 

has provided evidence that life may have 

once existed on Mars (see Figure 1). To 

inspire the next generation of explorers, 

enhance the nation’s education system, and 

inform the public about NASA’s space 

programs, the Agency also loans lunar and 

meteorite displays to schools, libraries, 

museums, and planetariums. 

 To promote investigation of the 

origin and evolution of the solar system and the nature and distribution of life, NASA 

both studies these materials itself and loans astromaterial samples to researchers 

Johnson Space Center’s Astromaterials 

Acquisition and Curation Office (Curation 

Office) maintains NASA’s collection of 

astromaterials and distributes samples for scientific study. In addition, the Office makes

lunar and meteorite samples available to exhibitors, educators, and institutions of higher 

learning through NASA’s Exhibits and Education Programs. The Office manages about 

140,000 lunar samples, 18,000 meteorite samples, and about 5,000 solar wind, comet, 

and cosmic dust samples. As of March 2011, over 26,000 of these samples were on loan 

for scientific study, educational pursuits, and public outreach purposes.

 1 The origins of NASA’s astromaterial collection are varied. Lunar samples were returned to Earth during 

the 1969–1972 Apollo missions; meteorites were obtained as a result of the Antarctic Search for 

Meteorites Program begun in 1977; solar wind was collected during the 2001 Genesis mission; NASA’s 

Stardust spacecraft – launched in 1999 – collected cometary and interstellar dust particles; and cosmic 

grains and orbital debris from the stratosphere have been collected by high-flying aircraft since 1981. 

Figure 1. ALH84001 weighs about 4 pounds and

at 4.1 billion-years-old is NASA’s oldest Martian 

meteorite. 

Source: NASA
OVERVIEW

ii REPORT NO. IG-12-007

The Johnson Exhibits Manager, a member of the Johnson Public Affairs Office, is 

responsible for tracking astromaterials loaned for public display. In June 2010, he

notified NASA Security and the Office of 

Inspector General (OIG) that a lunar sample 

disk, similar to the one in Figure 2, on loan to the 

Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory in 

Greenville, Delaware, was missing.

NASA had loaned the sample disk to the 

Observatory in 1978, and the loan agreement 

between the two organizations had expired in 

June 2008. However, due to an administrative 

oversight and the lack of a system to adequately 

track renewal dates for long-term loans, the 

Exhibits Manager did not contact Mount Cuba 

regarding the loan until February 2010. At that 

time, the Exhibits Manager learned that the 

responsible Mount Cuba employee had died the 

previous year and that the Observatory could not 

locate the sample. As of December 2011, the 

disk still has not been found. 

NASA has been experiencing loss of astromaterials since lunar samples were first 

returned by Apollo missions. In addition to the Mount Cuba disk, NASA confirmed that

516 other loaned astromaterials have been lost or stolen between 1970 and June 2010, 

including 18 lunar samples reported lost by a researcher in 2010 and 218 lunar and 

meteorite samples stolen from a researcher at Johnson in 2002, but since recovered.

2

Results

 As 

a result of the Mount Cuba incident and concerns about additional unknown losses, the 

OIG initiated an audit to assess NASA’s controls over loans of astromaterials. The 

number of astromaterial samples NASA has loaned to researchers has increased by more 

than 60 percent over the last decade. Additionally, NASA is planning new missions 

intended to collect more samples from across the solar system. Accordingly, NASA’s 

control of and accountability for these rare and valuable materials must be reliable. 

Details of the audit’s scope and methodology are in Appendix A.

NASA lacks sufficient controls over its loans of moon rocks and other astromaterials, 

which increases the risk that these unique resources may be lost. Specifically, we found 

that Curation Office records were inaccurate, researchers could not account for all 

samples loaned to them, and researchers held samples for extended periods without 

performing research or returning the samples to NASA. In addition, although NASA 

 2 As of December 2011, the Curation Office was still searching for the 18 lost lunar samples. 

Figure 2. Example of a lunar sample disk. 

The six-inch diameter disk contains three 

soil and three rock materials encapsulated in 

clear acrylic.

Source: NASA
OVERVIEW

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 iii

recently improved controls over loans to educators, we identified additional opportunities 

for NASA to strengthen its practices and update its policies for loans of astromaterials for 

education and public display purposes. 

NASA’s Controls over Research Loans of Astromaterials Are Inadequate. The 

Curation Office does not exercise sufficient controls over the astromaterials NASA loans 

for scientific study. Using NASA records, we performed an inventory of astromaterial 

samples on loan to 59 of the 377 U.S. researchers. This group represented 16 percent of 

U.S. researchers with loaned materials and 23 percent of all NASA astromaterial samples 

on loan as of March 30, 2011.

3

• Eleven of the 59 researchers (19 percent) could not account for all samples NASA 

records indicated had been loaned to them or possessed samples that, according to 

NASA records, had been destroyed or loaned to other individuals.

In examining this group of 59 researchers, we found that:

• Curation Office records included (1) hundreds of samples that no longer exist and 

(2) loans to 12 researchers who had died, retired, or relocated, in some cases 

without the Office’s knowledge and without returning samples. 

• The Curation Office did not ensure that these loaned research samples were

efficiently used and promptly returned to NASA. For example, we learned of one 

researcher who still had lunar samples he had borrowed 35 years ago on which he 

had never conducted research.

These conditions occurred for several reasons. First, the Curation Office did not require 

loan agreements or have in place other internal procedures for safeguarding loans of 

meteorites and cosmic dust samples. Loan agreements specify the conditions for the loan 

and include security plans prescribing precautions for guarding against theft or 

unauthorized use of astromaterial samples. NASA requires loan agreements for lunar, 

Genesis, and Stardust samples but does not require such agreements for meteorites or 

cosmic dust samples. Moreover, the Office maintains guidebooks and internal 

procedures to help ensure lunar, Genesis, and Stardust samples are adequately controlled 

and properly accounted for but has never established similar controls over meteorites and 

cosmic dust samples.4

 3 Details of our methodology and sampling plan are in Appendix A and Appendix B.

4 NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 7100.10E, “Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials (Revalidated 

01/10/2008).” 
OVERVIEW

iv REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Even in those instances when NASA has required researchers to sign loan agreements, 

the agreements have not consistently specified:

• that researchers must independently provide NASA with an annual inventory of 

all samples in their custody;

5

• an agreed-upon timeframe for conducting research on and returning samples to 

NASA; 

• procedures for notifying and returning samples to NASA upon the researcher’s

death, retirement, or other change in status or place of employment; or

• that researchers must obtain NASA’s permission to perform destructive analysis 

on loaned samples.

In addition, NASA’s loan agreements do not contain enforceable sanctions for 

noncompliance with the terms of the agreement. 

Second, the Office did not consistently follow its inventory procedures for astromaterial 

samples. For example, we found that although NASA policy required an annual 

inventory from holders of loaned materials, the Curation Office did not consistently 

request these inventories. In fact, the Office had never requested inventories of Stardust 

samples and, prior to our audit, had not requested inventories of lunar samples held at 

locations other than Johnson since 2008. Additionally, we found that the Office’s 

inventory practices depend on (1) the type of sample in question and (2) whether

borrowers store samples at Johnson. 

Third, the Curation Office’s annual inventory procedures are inadequate and do not 

account for all loaned samples. Specifically, to have researchers verify the samples they 

hold, the Office provides them with a list based on its records and requests they confirm 

its accuracy. We believe that an example of a more reliable inventory method would be 

to request that researchers provide the Office with a list of the samples in their possession 

and then reconcile the researchers’ lists with Agency records. In addition, the Curation 

Office said that due to funding constraints it has not performed a complete physical 

inventory of all lunar samples loaned to researchers since the 1980s.

NASA’s Controls over Educator and Public Display Loans Need Strengthening. At 

the time of our fieldwork, NASA had 455 astromaterial sample disks available for 

education purposes and 94 lunar exhibits on long-term public display. We found that the 

Agency’s controls over these samples need improvement. For example, the Johnson 

Exhibits Manager who tracks long-term loans (loans that exceed 1 year) of lunar material,

like the loan to the Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory, does not have an adequate 

system to track loaned exhibits and ensure loan agreements are up-to-date. In addition, 

 5 Loan agreements for lunar samples only require researchers to respond if NASA requests an annual 

inventory. 
OVERVIEW

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 v

NASA’s policies do not require, and the Exhibits Manager does not conduct, an annual 

inventory of these exhibits. 

Furthermore, although NASA has taken some steps over the last 2 years to improve 

controls over loans of lunar and meteorite samples for use in classrooms, related Agency 

policies are out of date and do not accurately reflect current practices and organizational 

responsibilities.

6

NASA has strengthened the Curation Office’s role in educator and public display loans

and has begun the process of updating the relevant policy, which expired in June 2011.

7

Conclusion. For over 40 years, NASA has loaned astromaterial samples to researchers 

and shared lunar and meteorite exhibits with educators and the public. However, the 

materials remain the property of the U.S. Government and may only be borrowed for 

approved research, educational pursuits, and public display.

 

However, NASA needs to continue improving its oversight over materials loaned for 

education and public display by updating all relevant policies, ensuring that all long-term 

loan agreements are up-to-date, and obtaining an accurate inventory of long-term loans. 

With lunar and meteorite samples loaned to classrooms around the country and exhibits 

disbursed across 25 states, the District of Columbia, and 13 foreign countries, NASA 

must ensure these materials are properly protected and accounted for. 

8

 6 NPD 1387.1G, “NASA Exhibits Program (Revalidated 3/17/10),” November 15, 1999; NASA Procedural 

Requirements (NPR) 1387.1, “NASA Exhibits Program w/Change 2 (Revalidated 3/17/10);”

NPD 1387.2F “Use, Control, and Loan of Lunar Samples for Public and Educational Purposes 

(Revalidated 2/28/05);” and NPD 7100.10E, “Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials (Revalidated 

01/10/2008).” 

 Additionally, while loan

periods may range from days to years, these transfers are not intended to be permanent, 

and NASA retains the right to recall its samples and exhibits at any time. Because NASA 

does not have adequate controls in place, the Agency cannot be sure of the location and 

security of all of its loaned astromaterials and therefore is at risk of losing these unique 

and limited resources. 

7 During the audit, NASA extended the expiration date of NPD 1387.2F from June 28, 2011, to 

December 29, 2011. The OIG provided suggested changes to ensure that the update includes accurate and 

necessary information. As of December 2011, NASA had not finalized the update. 

8 Lunar material retrieved from the Moon during the Apollo Program is U.S. Government property. Lunar 

material may also be present in some meteorites that fall to Earth, but this lunar material is not necessarily

regulated or U.S. Government property. 
OVERVIEW

vi REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Management Action

To strengthen internal controls and ensure efficient use and proper protection of loaned 

astromaterials, we recommended that NASA (1) establish detailed procedures for 

safeguarding loaned materials; (2) require loan agreements for all types of materials and 

strengthen the agreements currently in use; (3) establish procedures for tracking retention 

periods and ensure that researchers timely use and, when required, promptly return 

loaned samples; (4) evaluate practices for ensuring inventory procedures are effectively 

implemented and consistently followed; and (5) strengthen the inventory verification 

process. To further improve controls over astromaterials loaned for education and public 

display purposes, we also recommended that NASA (1) establish an effective tracking 

system and annual inventory requirements for long-term loans; (2) review all long-term 

loan agreements to identify expired agreements and either renew the agreements or recall 

the exhibits; and (3) review and update all relevant policies. 

In response to a draft of our report, the Acting Associate Administrator for the Science 

Mission Directorate concurred with our recommendations. We consider the Acting 

Associate Administrator’s comments and proposed actions to be responsive to our 

recommendations. The recommendations will be closed upon completion and 

verification of the proposed actions. The full text of his comments are provided in 

Appendix C.
DECEMBER 8, 2011

REPORT NO. IG-12-007

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Background _________________________________________ 1

Objectives __________________________________________ 8

RESULTS

NASA’s Controls over Research Loans of Astromaterials Are 

Inadequate _______________________________________ 9

NASA’s Controls over Educator and Public Display Loans Need

Strengthening ____________________________________ 19

APPENDIX A

Scope and Methodology_______________________________ 23

Review of Internal Controls ____________________________ 25

Prior Coverage ______________________________________ 25

APPENDIX B

Sampling Approach for Review of Astromaterials Loaned to

Researchers _____________________________________ 26

APPENDIX C

Management Comments ______________________________ 28

APPENDIX D

Report Distribution___________________________________ 33

DECEMBER 8, 2011

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 1

INTRODUCTION

Background

Materials originating from extraterrestrial environments, commonly referred to as 

astromaterials, are a rare and limited resource for research, education, and as a legacy for 

future generations. NASA’s collection of astromaterials includes lunar rock and soil 

samples; meteorites from asteroids, Mars, and the Moon; ions from the outer layers of the 

Sun (Genesis); dust from comets and interstellar space (Stardust); and cosmic dust from 

Earth’s stratosphere. To promote investigation of the origin and evolution of the solar 

system and the nature and distribution of life, NASA loans astromaterial samples to 

researchers worldwide. To inspire the next generation of explorers and inform the public 

about NASA’s space programs, the Agency also loans lunar and meteorite displays to 

schools, libraries, museums, and planetariums. However, NASA does not consider 

requests for loans of these samples from individuals acting on their own behalf. 

NASA’s Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office (Curation Office), managed by 

the Agency’s Astromaterials Curator, is located within the Astromaterials Research and 

Exploration Science (ARES) Directorate at Johnson Space Center. The mission of the 

Office is to support the international planetary science community through curation of 

NASA’s collection of astromaterials. NASA defines curation as the documentation, 

preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public 

outreach. In addition to the Astromaterials Curator, the Office employs curators 

dedicated to each type of astromaterial. 

As described below, NASA’s current astromaterials collection includes approximately

140,000 lunar samples, 18,000 meteorite samples, and over 1,000 samples each of 

Genesis, Stardust, and cosmic dust. 

Apollo Lunar (Lunar) and Antarctic 

Meteorite (Meteorite) Samples. Between 

1969 and 1972, the six Apollo missions 

returned 842 pounds of lunar material 

(2,196 individual rock, soil, and core 

samples) that subsequently have been split 

into about 140,000 subsamples. Since 1977, 

the Antarctic Search for Meteorites Program

– a cooperative effort among NASA, the 

National Science Foundation, and the 

Smithsonian Institution – has recovered 

over 18,000 meteorites that originated from 

asteroids, Mars, and the Moon. Lunar and 

meteorite samples are measured in grams 

(1 gram = ≈ 0.035 ounce). Many lunar and 

Figure 3. Lunar sample compared to a dime 

weighing 2.3 grams. 

Source: NASA
INTRODUCTION

2 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

meteorite samples loaned to researchers are 1 gram or less in weight. In comparison, the 

weight of a dime is 2.3 grams. Figure 3 shows the size of a lunar sample compared to the 

size of a dime. 

Genesis Solar Wind Atoms (Genesis). Launched in 2001, NASA’s Genesis spacecraft 

captured solar wind – a stream of ions ejected from the outer layers of the Sun, composed 

mostly of electrons and protons. Since 2004, NASA has cataloged 1,500 Genesis 

collector fragments. Because of their extremely small size, the Curation Office does not 

measure the samples in terms of weight or size.

Comet and Interstellar Dust Particles (Stardust) and Cosmic Dust Samples. 

Launched in 1999, NASA’s Stardust spacecraft collected over 1,200 grains of cometary 

dust particles and approximately 135 grains of interstellar dust particles as it passed the 

comet Wild-2. Cosmic dust grains and orbital debris are collected in the stratosphere by 

high-flying aircraft. Currently, Johnson has over 2,000 cosmic dust particles in its 

collection. Stardust particles and cosmic dust are measured in micrometers (μm) (1 μm = 

≈ 0.000039 inch). Stardust grains generally measure less than 1 μm in diameter and 

cosmic dust particles are approximately 5–10 μm in diameter. By comparison, the 

diameter of an average human hair is approximately 100 μm (see Figure 4).

NASA’s collection of astromaterials is the property of the U.S. Government and loans are 

permitted for research, education, and public display only. NASA’s collection is slated to 

grow in December of this year when the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency plans to 

transfer to NASA 10 percent of the asteroid samples collected by the Hayabusa 

spacecraft.9

As shown in Figure 5, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is responsible for approving 

allocations of astromaterials for scientific research, education, and public display. 

However, the Curation Office assists the Science Mission Directorate in NASA’s 

outreach efforts by ensuring astromaterials are available and distributing the appropriate 

sample. Thus, for each samples collection, the Astromaterials Curator has assigned a 

curator within the Curation Office to be the dedicated manager of that collection. 

 9 Launched in 2003 by Japan, Hayabusa collected about 1,500 grains of particles from the asteroid 

Itokawa.

Figure 4. Cosmic dust particle compared to a strand of human hair. 

Source: NASA

Cosmic dust particle Track of cosmic dust 

particle in collector gel

Strand of human 

hair
INTRODUCTION

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 3 

NASA’s Office of Education implements the Agency’s Education Program and through 

the Aerospace Education Services Project, provides certification courses required for 

teachers who want to apply for loans of astromaterials for classroom examination and 

study. The Curation Office manages the loans and makes lunar and meteorite education 

disks available to teachers.

10

Figure 5. Management and Distribution of Astromaterials for Research, Education, and Public 

Display

 NASA’s Office of Communications is responsible for the 

Exhibits Program, which provides a limited number of lunar displays managed and 

approved by the Exhibits Manager through Johnson’s Public Affairs Office. 

The Curation Office uses a database to track NASA’s inventory of astromaterial samples. 

The database contains information on each sample’s weight, whether it has been split into 

 

10 The disks contain six small samples of lunar rocks and soils or meteorites embedded in acrylic. 

Legend:

___ - Formal, direct relationship or responsibility

----- - Informal, indirect relationship or respons bility *

The Exhibits Manager resides within Johnson’s Public Affairs Office, which reports directly to the Johnson Center 

Director

NASA Science 

Mission 

Directorate

Agency-level 

Management of 

Astromaterials 

NASA’s 

Education

Program

NASA’s 

Exhibits

Program

Johnson Astromaterials 

Acquisition and Curation Office

Curation Office 

Curators

Johnson 

Exhibits 

Manager*

Educators Researchers Museums, 

Observatories, 

etc. 

Astromaterials 

for Education

NASA Office of 

Education

NASA Office of 

Communications

Astromaterials for 

Research

Astromaterials 

for Public 

Display
INTRODUCTION

4 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

smaller subsamples, and whether the samples and subsamples have been loaned to 

researchers for scientific study or included as part of an educational or public display. 

The database also contains information about loan agreements and loan expiration dates 

for researcher and educator loans, but the Johnson Exhibits Manager is responsible for 

tracking similar information for public display loans. 

Scientific Research Loans. NASA’s policy is to encourage scientific research on 

natural materials returned from extraterrestrial environments to derive maximum 

scientific and technological information. In accordance with this policy, NASA loans 

astromaterial samples to researchers who demonstrate that their proposed research has 

received a favorable scientific peer review.11 Researchers submit research requests that 

include the justification, methods, and benefits of the planned research to the appropriate 

material curator within the Curation Office. The curator reviews requests and assesses 

the scientific content of the proposal, capability of the proposer, and availability of 

requested samples. The curator then decides whether he or she is required to request an 

additional outside review. For all requests except those involving meteorite samples,

outside reviews are performed by the Curation and Analysis Planning Team for 

Extraterrestrial Materials (CAPTEM), a standing committee of scientists who advise 

NASA on the care and use of all astromaterial samples except Antarctic meteorites.

CAPTEM ensures that appropriate samples have been selected and performs a peer 

review.12

Upon approval of a request, the curator prepares the appropriate sample, establishes a 

loan agreement between NASA and the borrower (unless the loan involves meteorites or 

cosmic dust samples for which NASA does not require a loan agreement), and distributes 

the sample. Unless NASA has given prior approval to perform destructive analysis, 

NASA expects borrowers to return all lunar, Genesis, and Stardust samples as soon as 

their research is completed. NASA requires the return of meteorite samples only when 

they originate from rare meteorites, which make up approximately 25 percent of the 

Agency’s meteorite collection. Because of their small size – only 5–10 μm in diameter 

(approximately one-tenth the width of a human hair) – NASA does not expect researchers 

to return cosmic dust samples. Figure 6 illustrates the process flow for scientific research

loans of astromaterials.

For Antarctic meteorites, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the 

Smithsonian Institution signed a trilateral agreement and formed a Meteorite Steering 

Group to manage and control the meteorites. The Steering Group has its Meteorite 

Working Group perform the outside reviews and make recommendations back to the 

Steering Group for allocation of samples. 

 11 The peer review may include determining if the proposal has been: (1) recommended by any NASA 

program needing a planetary or scientific study within the past 3 years; (2) recommended and funded by 

any foreign or domestic government or non-profit agency; or (3) supported by reprints of scientific 

articles published in peer-reviewed professional journals and pertaining directly to the specific research 

methods to be applied. 

12 For example, outside reviews are required of all lunar researchers unless requested samples have already 

been used for research purposes. 
INTRODUCTION

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 5

As of March 2011, NASA had 10,293 lunar, 11,955 meteorite, 418 Genesis, 

1,266 Stardust, and 2,670 cosmic dust samples on loan to 595 researchers worldwide. As 

shown in Table 1, the number of samples loaned by the Agency to researchers increased 

by 62 percent over the last decade. 
INTRODUCTION

6 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Table 1. Number of Astromaterial Samples Loaned to Researchers 

by Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year

Collection 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Lunar 426 232 152 221 199 261 252 218 264 436

Meteorites 340 194 503 503 693 495 520 702 771 571

Genesis 87 106 85 53 62 50

Stardust 450 339 210 78 217

Cosmic Dust 122 46 29 69 57 194 121 109 167

Total 888 472 684 793 1,036 1,312 1,390 1,304 1,284 1,441

Increase In Total Number of Samples Loaned Between 2001 and 2010 62 percent

Source: Report to CAPTEM, “Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation at JSC: November 2009 -

November 2010.”

Educator and Public Display Loans. NASA provides opportunities for people in the 

United States and around the world to view and study lunar and meteorite samples by 

loaning samples for educational purposes and public display. To that end, the Curation 

Office has 455 lunar and meteorite education disks similar to those pictured in Figure 7

available for K-12 classroom examination via short-term loans (usually 2 weeks) to 

qualified U.S. schoolteachers.

13

As with loans to researchers, loans of lunar 

and meteorite education disks require an 

application, loan agreement, and security 

plan approved by the Curation Office. 

Educators are also required to attend a 

training course that includes, but is not 

limited to, security requirements and proper 

handling procedures before being allowed 

to use an education disk in their classroom. 

NASA’s Exhibits Program provides several 

different types of displays (see Figure 8)

for use on a short- or long-term basis at 

museums, planetariums, expositions, or 

professional events open to the public. Currently, NASA has 94 lunar exhibits on longterm display worldwide. For example, the Exhibits Program has provided long-term 

displays to the visitor facilities at or associated with the NASA Centers and to the 

Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum as well as to institutions in 

25 states, the District of Columbia, and 13 foreign countries.

 13 In addition to kindergarten-12th grade (K-12) disks, NASA also prepares thin sections of lunar rocks on 

rectangular 1 x 2-inch glass slides that are suitable for use in U.S. colleges and universities.

Figure 7. Examples of lunar and meteorite 

education disks used for K-12 classroom study. 

Source: NASA

. 
INTRODUCTION

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 7

The Johnson Exhibits Manager 

coordinates all requests with the 

Curation Office and seeks CAPTEM’s

approval on the suitability of requests 

and availability of new samples for 

display purposes. The Manager 

provides successful applicants 

instructions for receiving, displaying, 

and returning exhibits. All loans of 

astromaterials for public display 

require a loan agreement signed by the 

Exhibits Manager and the borrower

and a security plan approved by 

Johnson’s Security Office. While the 

Curation Office database records 

which astromaterials have been 

included in exhibits for public display, the only means the Exhibits Manager has for 

tracking loan expiration dates is to review his paper files. 

Goodwill Moon Rocks and Ambassador of Exploration Awards. In addition to the 

astromaterial samples available for scientific research, education, and public display 

loans, in 1973 President Nixon gave fragments from one of the last rocks collected from 

the Moon to foreign heads of state and each of the 50 U.S. states as a symbol of goodwill. 

During the final moonwalk of the Apollo missions, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan 

and Harrison Schmitt picked up the rock– known as the “Goodwill Rock” – and stated 

that they would like to share pieces of it with the children of the world. Though NASA 

still has about 80 percent of the original rock, the hundreds of fragments that were given 

to countries around the world and each U.S. state are not tracked by NASA. 

In addition, over the years NASA has awarded lunar samples to individuals the Agency 

has named “Ambassadors of Exploration” in recognition of the contributions of the 

astronauts and other individuals who were part of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 

programs. To date, NASA has named over 30 Ambassadors of Exploration, including 

astronauts Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong and former U.S. Senator and astronaut John 

Glenn. NASA presents each honoree with a lunar sample that remains the property of 

NASA but may be publicly displayed in the honoree’s name at the museum or 

educational institution of their choice. Since these lunar samples remain NASA property, 

the Exhibits Manager tracks their location.

Confirmed Losses of Astromaterials. NASA has confirmed that 517 astromaterial

samples have been lost or stolen between 1970 and June 2010, including 218 lunar and 

meteorite samples stolen during a single theft from a researcher at Johnson in 2002 (with 

all of the material subsequently recovered), and 18 lunar samples reported lost by one 

researcher in 2010.14

 14 As of December 2011, the Curation Office was still searching for the 18 lost lunar samples. 

 In June 2010, the Johnson Exhibits Manager notified NASA 

Figure 8. Apollo 15 lunar sample exhibit.

Source: NASA
INTRODUCTION

8 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Security and the Office of Inspector General that a disk containing lunar samples was 

missing from the Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory in Greenville, Delaware. 

NASA loaned the disk to the Observatory in 1978 and the loan agreement between the 

two organizations expired in June 2008. However, due to an administrative oversight and 

the lack of a system to adequately track renewal dates for exhibits on long-term loan, the 

Exhibits Manager did not contact Mount Cuba to renew the loan until February 2010. At 

that time, the Exhibits Manager learned that the responsible Mount Cuba employee had 

died the previous year and that the Observatory could not locate the exhibit. As of 

December 2011, the disk still had not been found. 

Objectives

Our audit assessed NASA’s controls over astromaterial samples loaned for research, 

education, and public display. See Appendix A for details of the audit’s scope and 

methodology, our review of internal controls, and a list of prior coverage. 
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 9

NASA’S CONTROLS OVER RESEARCH LOANS OF 

ASTROMATERIALS ARE INADEQUATE

To test NASA’s controls, we used Agency records to verify the existence and 

location of astromaterial samples loaned to selected researchers. We reviewed

4,991 samples on loan to 59 researchers in the Houston and Washington, D.C.,

areas as of March 30, 2011.15

We found that NASA is fulfilling its mission to distribute astromaterials for 

scientific study. However, we also found that the Agency lacks sufficient controls 

over its loans of moon rocks and other astromaterials once they have been

transferred to borrowers. Specifically, we found that some researchers could not 

account for all samples NASA records indicated had been loaned to them, or

possessed samples that, according to NASA records, had been destroyed or

loaned to other individuals. In addition, Curation Office records included

hundreds of samples that no longer exist and loans to researchers who had died, 

retired, or relocated, in some cases without the Office’s knowledge. Finally, the 

Curation Office had not ensured that loaned samples were used for agreed upon 

research purposes and promptly returned to NASA. 

According to Agency records, these individuals 

represented 16 percent of the U.S. researchers with loaned materials and the group 

possessed 23 percent of the samples loaned to researchers across the country. 

These conditions occurred because the Curation Office had not established 

procedures – including requiring loan agreements – to manage meteorites and 

cosmic dust samples. Further, the loan agreements the Agency required for lunar, 

Genesis, and Stardust samples did not contain basic elements necessary to protect 

the loaned materials. Finally, inventory procedures are not consistently followed 

and need improvement. As a result of these deficiencies, NASA does not 

properly safeguard loaned materials, has little assurance of the location or 

continued existence of the loaned materials, and is at risk of losing more of these 

unique and limited resources.

Researchers Could Not Account for All Samples Loaned to Them and Agency 

Records Did Not Contain Accurate Information Regarding Loaned Samples. We 

found that 11 of the 59 researchers in our sample (19 percent) could not account for all 

samples Agency records indicated had been loaned to them or had in their custody 

samples that, according to Agency records, did not exist or had been loaned to other 

individuals. Specifically, 7 researchers could not account for 22 meteorites and 

 15 The Houston group included researchers at the Johnson Space Center, the Lunar and Planetary Institute, 

University of Houston, Rice University, and Texas A&M University. The Washington, D.C., group 

included researchers at NASA Headquarters, Goddard Space Flight Center, Carnegie Institution of 

Washington, and U.S. Department of Interior (U.S. Geological Survey). See Appendix B for details of 

our sampling approach.
RESULTS

10 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

2 Stardust samples. When questioned, the researchers either (1) speculated that the 

samples must have been destroyed during research or (2) after searching admitted that the 

samples had been lost, and we reported the loss to the appropriate NASA curator. Of the 

24 missing samples, NASA expected that 11 of the meteorite samples and both Stardust 

samples would be returned to the Agency at the completion of approved research. Of the 

11 meteorite samples, 5 have been reported lost, 5 were reported destroyed during testing, 

and the Meteorite Curator continues to investigate the status of the remaining sample.

16

During our audit fieldwork, we notified the Stardust Curator about the two missing 

Stardust samples and he initiated an investigation.17

Additionally, we found that 3 researchers possessed 20 samples that, according to 

Curation Office records, had either been destroyed or were on loan to other researchers. 

Because research is often collaborative, NASA permits researchers who have obtained 

prior approval to share samples with other researchers. However, 18 of the 20 samples

had been reported lost or destroyed by the original borrower. For example, we found one 

researcher with nine meteorites that the researcher of record told us had been destroyed 

during his research. Further, two samples (one lunar and one meteorite) with the same 

sample identification number were simultaneously held by two researchers. It appears 

that the researcher of record of the lunar sample split off a piece of the sample and gave it 

to the other individual. This practice was inconsistent with the Lunar Sample Allocation 

Guidebook, which required the researcher of record to return the sample to the Curation 

Office to request splitting. If approved, the Office would have given the subsample a 

new number before providing it to the second researcher. Because NASA was not aware 

that these 20 samples existed, their loss or theft could be overlooked.

 

NASA Records Included Loans of Samples That No Longer Exist and Loans to 

Researchers Who Had Died, Retired, or Relocated. We found that the Curation 

Office’s inventory records contained inaccurate information for hundreds of samples that 

had been destroyed through research. For example, the Office’s records indicated that 

one researcher should have had in his custody 199 cosmic dust samples loaned to him by 

NASA; however, the samples were destroyed as a result of approved research. 

Additionally, the Office’s records indicated that another researcher should have had 

88 meteorite samples, although these samples had also undergone destructive analysis

and, therefore, no longer exist. 

Overall, the Curation Office’s inventory records contained inaccurate information for 

12 of 59 researchers (20 percent) in our sample. Specifically, NASA had loaned these 

researchers 94 meteorites and cosmic dust samples and, since obtaining the materials, 

3 of the researchers had died as long as 9 years ago, 4 had changed locations/employers

 16 A researcher told us that five of the meteorites that NASA expected to be returned were destroyed during 

research. When we informed the Meteorite Curator, he said he did not believe the meteorites were 

destroyed based on information he obtained in a corresponding published research paper. The Meteorite 

Curator is addressing this situation with the Meteorite Working Group and the Astromaterials Curator. 

17 The Curator’s investigation disclosed that the samples were lost in 2006 while the samples were being

prepared for study. 
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 11

as long as 21 years ago, and the remaining 5 had retired as long as 17 years ago.

Although NASA was aware of most of these events, the Curation Office had not updated

its records to reflect the status of the samples. Of the 94 samples, 7 of the meteorites 

were expected to be returned to NASA. As of December 2011, NASA had retrieved 4 of 

the 7 meteorites, provided permission for a researcher to keep 1 sample for further study, 

and as a result of our audit determined 1 sample is lost and was attempting to locate the 

remaining sample.

Researchers Had Not Efficiently Used and Returned to NASA Valuable Lunar and 

Meteorite Samples. To determine whether researchers efficiently used and promptly 

returned loaned astromaterials, we asked 25 of the 59 researchers in our sample when 

they last performed research using the lunar or meteorite samples in their possession.

18

Curation Office Had Not Established Adequate Controls over 

Astromaterials

 

Three of the researchers did not provide the requested information. The remaining

22 indicated that, on average, they had not used the meteorite samples for at least 5 years

and the lunar samples for at least 15 years. Additionally, one researcher had in his 

possession nine lunar samples borrowed from NASA 35 years earlier on which he had 

never conducted research. Another researcher had never conducted research on ten 

meteorite samples he kept for an average of 14 years. Still another researcher retained

36 lunar samples for an average of 16 years after he had completed his research. When 

we asked these individuals why they kept materials they were not using for research 

purposes, some said they had requested the samples in anticipation of planned research 

only to encounter delays such as obtaining funding for their research. Others told us that 

it never occurred to them to return the samples after they had conducted their research. 

Still others stated that they held the samples in anticipation of needing them “some day.”

The control weaknesses identified during our review occurred because:

• the Curation Office had not established procedures to maintain control over 

meteorites and cosmic dust and did not require loan agreements for these 

materials;

• loan agreements pertaining to lunar, Genesis, and Stardust samples did not 

contain basic elements necessary to protect loaned materials; and

• the Office did not consistently follow inventory procedures or ensure that the

procedures were adequate. 

 18 We excluded Genesis and Stardust samples because all loans of these materials were made less than 

5 years ago. We also excluded cosmic dust samples because NASA does not require return of these 

samples. Based on this methodology, we determined that 25 of the 59 researchers were in possession of 

lunar and/or meteorite samples they had been loaned at least 5 years ago. See Appendix B for our 

sampling approach. 
RESULTS

12 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Required Procedures for Managing Meteorites and Cosmic Dust Samples Did Not 

Exist. Although NASA policy requires the Astromaterials Curator to develop detailed 

procedures relating to curation of astromaterials, the Curation Office had not established

such procedures for meteorites and cosmic dust samples.19 The Office maintains 

guidebooks and other internal procedures intended to ensure lunar, Genesis, and Stardust 

samples are adequately controlled and properly accounted for but has not produced 

similar materials pertaining to meteorite and cosmic dust samples. In fact, the Office 

does not even require loan agreements – the only binding contractual document between 

NASA, the borrower, and the borrower’s employing institution – for these materials. 

Generally, NASA does not expect researchers to return most meteorites or cosmic dust 

samples; however, NASA does consider about 25 percent of all loaned meteorites to be 

sufficiently rare and valuable to require they be returned after the borrower completes his 

or her research.

20 However, without proper procedures including binding loan 

agreements NASA cannot properly manage these assets. For example, during our review 

the Meteorite Curator requested that we interview a researcher holding 13 meteorite 

samples who had been unresponsive to the Curator’s repeated requests that he return 3 of 

the samples to NASA.21

Most of the weaknesses we observed in NASA’s procedures were associated with loans 

of meteorites and cosmic dust. Furthermore, the Astromaterials Curator acknowledged 

that meteorites are at particular risk of theft because, unlike other types of materials, they 

can be collected on Earth and legally owned by private citizens. Therefore, an offer to 

sell a stolen meteorite would draw less attention from authorities than an offer to sell 

Apollo lunar samples or other astromaterials that NASA has collected in space and, as a 

result, are the legal property of the U.S. Government. 

 

To improve NASA’s controls over the loans of meteorite and cosmic dust samples and 

reduce the risk that these assets may be lost or stolen, the Curation Office should 

establish procedures, including requiring that borrowers sign loan agreements prior to 

receiving the materials. 

Loan Agreements Lack Basic Elements. As noted above, the Curation Office requires 

researchers to sign loan agreements to obtain lunar, Genesis, and Stardust samples. 

However, the agreements the Office was using were not adequate to ensure loaned 

astromaterial samples were properly safeguarded. As shown in Table 2, depending on 

the type of astromaterials being loaned, loan agreements did not always include the 

following basic controls:

• a requirement that researchers independently provide NASA with an annual 

inventory of all samples in their custody; 

 19 NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 7100.10E, “Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials (Revalidated 

01/10/2008).” 

20 Cosmic dust samples are usually destroyed during research. 

21 We verified that the researcher had all 13 samples and arrangements were made for return of the 

3 samples to the Curation Office. 
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 13

• an agreed-upon timeframe for using samples and, when applicable, returning them 

to the Agency; 

• procedures for immediately notifying NASA and returning samples upon a 

researcher’s death, retirement, or other change in status/place of employment; 

• a requirement to obtain NASA’s permission to perform destructive analysis using 

loaned samples; or

• enforceable sanctions for noncompliance with the agreement. 

Table 2. Elements of Loan Agreements by Type of Astromaterials

Element Lunar Genesis Stardust

Meteorites and 

Cosmic Dusta

Samples identified as property of the U.S. 

Government Yes Yes Yes N/A

Requirement to report annual inventory Yesb No No N/A

Requirement that samples be stored in a safe 

or secured storage cabinet Yes Yes Yes N/A

Designated timeframe for samples to be 

returned No No No N/A

Notification procedure for when 

researcher’s employment status changes No No No N/A

Explicit permission for destructive analysis 

on the sample Yes No No N/A

Sanctions for failure to comply with loan 

agreement No No No N/A

a The Curation Office does not require researchers to sign loan agreements for meteorites and cosmic 

dust samples.

b Per the lunar loan agreement, researchers are only required to report annual inventories of loaned lunar 

samples if NASA specifically requests them.

Without these essential elements, NASA has little assurance that the loaned 

astromaterials will be properly safeguarded and accounted for or that researchers will 

follow NASA policy. For example, although the Curation Office’s internal procedures 

state that researchers will complete annual inventories of Genesis and Stardust samples, 

the loan agreements make no reference to such inventories and therefore the borrowers 

are not legally obligated to complete them. In addition, in the absence of specific 

sanctions laid out in the agreement, NASA has little recourse if a researcher chooses not 

to comply. For example, although the lunar sample loan agreement requires researchers 

to perform an annual inventory of loaned samples and report the results to NASA, the 

agreement does not provide a mechanism for enforcement of this requirement. In fact, 

according to the Lunar Sample Curator, NASA received only about 70 percent of 
RESULTS

14 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

requested inventories in 2008 (its most recent completed inventory request prior to our 

audit) and all but 5 responses the previous year.22

The only recourse for non-compliance with the loan agreements currently available to 

NASA requires the Agency to prove that a borrower willfully lost or damaged the

samples. In addition, the Curation Office can refuse requests for additional samples from 

researchers who have lost or damaged loaned samples. Loan agreements that clearly 

spell out what is expected of researchers and the consequences of non-compliance would 

help ensure that loaned samples are used, safeguarded, and returned as intended.

 To further illustrate, one researcher did 

not respond to NASA’s repeated requests for an inventory for 9 years. This researcher

died prior to May 2010, and the 18 lunar samples that NASA had loaned him are now 

missing. 

Inventory Procedures Are Not Consistently Followed and Need Improvement. The 

Curation Office did not consistently follow its inventory procedures for astromaterial 

samples. The Office’s internal policies state that the Office will annually request 

researchers to verify that inventories of Stardust, lunar, and Genesis samples in their 

custody match NASA’s records.23 However, we found that the Office had never 

requested an inventory of Stardust samples and, prior to our audit, had not requested an 

inventory since 2008 of lunar samples maintained outside Johnson property.

24

Additionally, the Curation Office did not request an inventory of Genesis samples in 

2009. Moreover, the Office’s inventory practices depend on (1) the type of sample in 

question and (2) whether borrowers store samples at Johnson.25

Moreover, the Curation Office’s inventory procedures are weak and do not ensure that all 

loaned samples are accounted for. Specifically, the Office provides researchers a list of 

the astromaterial samples NASA records indicate have been loaned to them and requests 

that the borrower review the list, annotate any discrepancies, and sign and date the list 

verifying the samples that are in their custody.

26

 22 The Lunar Sample Curator started the 2011 inventory verification in February 2011. As of the date of 

this report, it was not complete. 

 This inventory method allows the 

possibility that borrowers can simply sign the form without actually verifying that their 

inventory matches the Office’s records. Since the Curation Office does not have the 

resources to physically verify samples on loan, we believe an example of a more reliable 

23 The inventory verifications are called for in the Curation Office’s Lunar Sample Allocation Guidebook, 

June 2007; Genesis Research Sample Investigator’s Guidebook, May 2006; and Stardust Sample 

Investigator’s Guidebook, August 2006. 

24 The Stardust Curator stated that since loans of Stardust samples began in 2006 he had never requested a

complete inventory of researchers with loaned materials. However, in January 2011 the Curator began 

performing random spot checks and verified the inventory of the researcher who possessed the most 

loaned Stardust samples. The Curator told us that he is considering performing more inventory checks in 

the future.

25 Approximately 15 percent of all astromaterial samples on loan are located at Johnson.

26 Sample Control and Data Procedure 43 states that for researchers located at Johnson with lunar samples, 

the Curator provides the inventory listing to Johnson Security Office. Security then performs a physical 

verification of the accuracy of the listing. 
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 15

method would entail requesting each researcher to provide the Office with a list of the 

samples in the researcher’s custody so that NASA officials can reconcile reported 

inventories with Agency records and take action when the two lists do not match.

27

NASA Risks Losing Its Unique and Limited Resources

For over 40 years, NASA has loaned astromaterials to researchers. The materials, which 

are highly sought after and vulnerable to theft, remain the property of the U.S.

Government, and NASA retains the right to recall loaned samples at any time. However, 

because NASA does not have adequate controls over its loans, the Curation Office cannot 

be assured of the security, location, or even the continued existence of loaned samples.

Consequently, NASA is at risk of losing samples distributed to researchers. 

It is imperative that NASA ensure that its curation procedures evolve to meet the 

challenges of a growing and diverse collection of extraterrestrial samples. For example, 

in December 2011 the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency plans to transfer to NASA 

10 percent of the particles it collected from the Asteroid Itokawa. Also, in May 2011 

NASA announced plans to launch its own spacecraft that will one day return samples 

from an asteroid, thereby enabling research to better explain our solar system’s formation 

and how life began.28

Recommendations, Management’s Response, and Evaluation of 

Management’s Response

Until NASA improves controls of astromaterials loaned to 

researchers, the Agency risks failing to fulfill its mission to preserve samples for research

and future study. 

To strengthen internal controls for the efficient use and proper protection of NASA’s 

irreplaceable astromaterials collection, the Astromaterials Curator, in conjunction with 

the Johnson Space Center Director, should: 

1. Establish procedures for controlling loaned meteorite and cosmic dust samples to 

include guidebooks, internal procedures, and loan agreements. 

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator for the 

Science Mission Directorate stated that the Curation Office will develop guidebooks 

and loan agreements for Antarctic meteorites and cosmic dust. The meteorite 

guidebook and loan agreement will be developed in consultation with the Meteorite 

 27 Curation Office officials said they has not performed a complete physical inventory of their collection of 

lunar samples loaned to researchers since the 1980s due to funding constraints.

28 The mission, Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer

(OSIRIS-Rex), will launch in 2016, use a robotic arm to collect samples, and be the first U.S. mission to 

carry samples from an asteroid back to Earth. 
RESULTS

16 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Working Group while CAPTEM will be consulted on the cosmic dust guidebook and 

loan agreement. In addition, the Office of General Counsel will review the loan 

agreements prior to their finalization. Existing borrowers will transition to the new 

loan agreements at the time of their next annual inventory. Finally, the Curation 

Office will review current internal procedures and update or develop new procedures 

for loans of meteorite and cosmic dust samples. 

Estimated Completion Date: October 1, 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 

2. Require that loan agreements include essential elements necessary to ensure that 

NASA’s materials are safeguarded, used, and, when applicable, returned to NASA. At 

a minimum, the loan agreements should contain:

• a requirement that researchers provide an annual inventory, including the status of 

research completed and any samples consumed;

• the maximum time period a researcher may retain any sample before returning the 

sample or requesting an extension;

• procedures for immediate notification of changes in researcher status (i.e., 

employment changes, relocation, etc.), and changes in the custody of a loaned 

sample; 

• a requirement for explicit permission to perform destructive analysis using a 

loaned sample; and 

• a detailed description of actions NASA will take if researchers fail to comply with 

any element of the loan agreement.

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator stated that 

existing loan agreements will be revised and that loan agreements for meteorites and 

cosmic dust samples will be developed. The loan agreements will require sample 

recipients to perform annual inventories, provide immediate notification of changes in 

researcher status, request explicit permission for destructive analysis, identify specific 

actions NASA will take if researchers fail to comply, and require that samples be 

returned or loans renewed by the expiration of the loan period. In addition, NASA 

will draft policies for the duration of all types of loans. 

Estimated Completion Date: March 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 17

3. Establish procedures for tracking loaned astromaterial sample retention periods and 

ensure that researchers efficiently use and, when required, promptly return loaned 

samples. 

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator stated that 

the date of loan, expiration date, and any relevant renewal periods specific to each 

sample will be tracked in the curatorial databases along with critical loan information 

such as permission for destructive analysis. The procedure for tracking and 

requesting return of samples will be tied to annual inventories. In addition, the 

Curation Office will develop procedures for following up on cases of noncompliance 

and document those procedures in the guidebooks for each type of sample. 

Moreover, when a loan period expires, the borrower will be required to request 

renewal and provide justification for the request. Finally, the Office, in conjunction 

with CAPTEM and the Working Group, will evaluate whether it is in NASA’s best 

interest to approve a borrower’s loan application renewal request or deny it and 

request return of a sample. 

Estimated Completion Date: October 1, 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 

4. Evaluate the Curation Office’s practices for ensuring that established inventory

procedures have been effectively implemented, are consistently followed, and are 

applicable to all researchers.

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator stated that 

annual inventories will be required of all scientists who receive astromaterial loans

and that this requirement will be communicated in the loan agreements. 

Estimated Completion Date: March 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 

5. Strengthen the current annual inventory verification procedure to improve NASA’s 

assurance that all applicable astromaterial samples are accounted for. At a minimum, 

NASA should consider requiring researchers to maintain a record of samples in their 

custody and supply NASA the inventory for reconciliation with the Curation Office’s 

records. In addition, NASA’s internal procedures should provide detailed steps to 

correct any deficiencies noted and NASA should adjust and update its inventory 

records accordingly, including removing from its records any samples that have been 

destroyed or returned. 
RESULTS

18 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator agreed that 

researchers must maintain a record of the samples in their custody and stated that the 

revised guidebooks and loan agreements will remind researchers of this requirement. 

In addition, the Curation Office will review current procedures and update or develop 

new procedures as needed. As part of this process, NASA will evaluate the procedure 

suggested in the recommendation along with a variety of alternate procedures. 

Estimated Completion Date: October 1, 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 19

NASA’S CONTROLS OVER EDUCATOR AND PUBLIC 

DISPLAY LOANS NEED STRENGTHENING

In May 2009, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and Office of Education 

implemented new procedures governing loans of lunar and meteorite education disks 

to U.S. educators. Pursuant to these procedures, most existing education disks were 

collected from the various NASA Centers and centralized at the Johnson Curation 

Office for distribution. In addition, in February 2010 the NASA Administrator 

created executive-level offices of Education and Communications responsible for 

implementing NASA’s Education Program and managing the exhibits that inform 

the public about the Agency’s aeronautics and space programs, respectively.

Although these changes have improved NASA’s controls over loans, NASA needs to 

take additional steps, including establishing an effective tracking system for longterm loans of lunar exhibits and requiring annual inventories of loaned materials. 

Moreover, NASA has not updated its policies to reflect these organizational changes. 

Management of Long-term Loans of Lunar Exhibits Is Inadequate. NASA’s 

management of long-term loans of lunar exhibits is inadequate and needs improvement. 

Specifically, the Johnson Exhibits Manager, who at the time of our fieldwork was 

responsible for 94 long-term loans of lunar exhibits worldwide, does not have an 

adequate system to effectively track the renewal dates of the loans. Moreover, NASA’s 

policies do not require, and the Exhibits Manager does not conduct, an annual inventory 

of these loaned exhibits. 

As previously discussed, the loan agreement for the Mount Cuba loan expired in June 

2008. In 2010, the Exhibits Manager was reviewing display loan files when he realized 

the Mount Cuba loan was almost 2 years past due. The Exhibits Manager contacted 

Mount Cuba to renew the loan, at which time he learned that the Mount Cuba employee 

responsible for the display had died the previous year. Despite what Mount Cuba 

officials characterized as an exhaustive search, the Mount Cuba display was still missing

as of December 2011. As a result of this incident, the Exhibits Manager said he realized 

he needed a better system to track expiration dates on the long-term loans for which he is 

responsible. 

When loans are due to expire, the Exhibits Manager should promptly contact the 

institution and renew the loan or recall the exhibit. The Exhibits Manager acknowledged 

that he did not contact borrowers in a timely manner and that a tracking system was 

needed. He also told us that there could be other loan agreements that have not been 

renewed on a timely basis. Reliance on the Exhibits Manager’s review of files on an 

ad hoc basis does not ensure long-term loans are timely renewed. The lack of a tracking 

system – particularly when coupled with a lack of annual inventories – does not promote 

proper management of NASA’s long-term loans of lunar exhibits or succession planning 

in the event the current Exhibits Manager retires or changes jobs. Specifically, his 
RESULTS

20 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

successor may be unaware of the status of NASA’s loans since relevant information is 

not contained in a manner that comprehensively tracks the loans. 

If the Exhibits Manager had a tracking system and had annually contacted those 

institutions with exhibits on long-term loan to conduct an inventory, NASA might have 

earlier discovered that the Mount Cuba exhibit was missing and had a better chance of 

recovering it.

Agency-wide Policies Had Not Been Updated to Reflect New Procedures, 

Responsibilities, and Organizational Changes. In accordance with NASA Procedural 

Requirements (NPR) 1400.1E, “NASA Directives and Charters Procedural 

Requirements,” July 15, 2011, NASA directives are effective for 5 years. When a 

directive is about to expire, the Agency can choose to revalidate it for an additional 

5 years if “the directive is current, necessary, and requires no changes” or if only minor 

administrative changes are needed.

In March 2010, NASA revalidated its policies governing the Exhibits Program.29

 29 NPD 1387.1G, “NASA Exhibits Program” (effective, November 15, 1999; revalidated March 17, 2010; 

expiration, November 15, 2015); and NPR 1387.1, “NASA Exhibits Program w/Change 2” (effective, 

January 9, 1999; revalidated, March 17, 2010; expiration, March 17, 2015).

 

However, NASA did not ensure that these and related policies reflected the procedural 

and organizational changes the Agency implemented between 2009 and 2010 (see 

Table 3). For example, the policies do not explain that the Johnson Exhibits Manager is 

responsible for managing all exhibits that contain a lunar sample. Similarly, NASA’s 

policy on the use of lunar samples for public and educational purposes (NPD 1387.2F) 

does not reflect that as of May 2009 the Curation Office is responsible for managing the 

lunar and meteorite education disk program. During the audit, NASA acknowledged that 

this policy was out of date and began the process of updating the policy. During the 

audit, NASA extended the NPD’s expiration date from June 28, 2011 until December 29, 

2011. We provided suggested changes to ensure that the update includes accurate and 

necessary information; however, as of early December 2011 NASA had not finalized the 

revised policy.
RESULTS

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 21

Table 3. Revalidation Dates of Policies Governing NASA’s Exhibits Program and Use of 

Lunar Samples for Public and Educational Purposes.

Policy Effective Date Date Revalidated Expiration Date

NPD 1387.1G, “NASA Exhibits 

Program”

November 15, 1999 March 17, 2010 November 15, 2015

NPR 1387.1, “NASA Exhibits 

Program w/Change 2”

January 9, 1999 March 17, 2010 March 17, 2015

NPD 1387.2F, “Use, Control, and 

Loan of Lunar Samples for Public 

and Educational Purposes”

February 29, 2000 February 28, 2005 December 29, 2011a

NPD 7100.10E, “Curation of 

Extraterrestrial Materials” February 11, 2003 January 10, 2008 February 11, 2013

a

During the audit, NASA extended the expiration date from June 28, 2011 until December 29, 2011. 

Conclusion. While NASA has taken the first steps toward strengthening controls over 

loans of lunar and meteorite samples for education and public display, the Agency needs 

to maintain an accurate inventory of exhibits on long-term loan, ensure all loan 

agreements are current, and update its policies associated with these loans. With lunar 

and meteorite samples loaned to classrooms around the country and exhibits disbursed 

across 25 states, the District of Columbia, and 13 foreign countries, NASA must ensure 

that its limited number of astromaterials available for educational use and public display

are properly protected and accounted for. 

Recommendations, Management’s Response, and Evaluation of 

Management’s Response

To strengthen NASA’s controls over astromaterials loaned for education and public 

display purpose, we recommended the following: 

6. The Johnson Center Director should establish a comprehensive tracking system and 

annual inventory requirements for long-term loans of lunar exhibits.

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator for the 

Science Mission Directorate stated that during the audit the Johnson Exhibits 

Manager developed a prototype system to track loan and renewal dates for all 

institutions. NASA will evaluate this system and make adjustments as necessary. 

The Exhibits Manager will use the Long-Term Lunar Sample Display Annual Survey 

to determine how borrowers are using loaned displays. 

Estimated Completion Date: September 30, 2012
RESULTS

22 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 

7. The Johnson Exhibits Manager should review all agreements for long-term loans of 

lunar exhibits, identify any expired agreements, and either renew the agreements or 

recall the exhibits, as necessary.

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator stated that

all agreements for long-term loans of lunar exhibits will be reviewed. Any expired 

agreements will be revaluated and agreements either will be renewed or the sample(s) 

recalled as appropriate. 

Estimated Completion Date: September 30, 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 

8. The Associate Administrators for Education and Communications, and the Acting 

Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate should review and update

Agency policies governing loans of astromaterial samples for education and public 

display purposes to reflect current processes and organizational responsibilities. 

Management’s Response. Concur. The Acting Associate Administrator stated that 

NASA is updating NPD 1387.2G to reflect the current process and organizational 

responsibilities for educational and public display loans. NASA will also review 

NPD 1387.1G and NPR 1387.1 and update them as necessary. The Acting Associate 

Administrator also stated that while the Associate Administrator for Education does 

not have a role in governing such loans, Education remains a stakeholder in the 

process and will be asked to review and concur with the polices before they are 

finalized. 

Estimated Completion Date: Spring 2012

Evaluation of Management’s Response. Management’s proposed actions are 

responsive; therefore, the recommendation is resolved and will be closed upon 

completion and verification of the corrective actions. 
APPENDIXES

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 23

APPENDIX A

Scope and Methodology

We performed this audit from March 2011 through November 2011 in accordance with 

generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan 

and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 

basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the 

evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on 

our audit objectives.

The scope of our audit was controls over astromaterials loaned for research, education, 

and public display purposes within the United States. Our review included lunar, 

meteorite, Genesis, Stardust, and cosmic dust samples loaned for research purposes; lunar 

and meteorite samples loaned for education purposes; and lunar samples loaned for 

public display.30

Researcher Loans. NASA has 10,293 lunar, 11,955 meteorite, 418 Genesis, 

1,266 Stardust, and 2,670 cosmic dust samples on loan to 595 researchers worldwide. 

We reviewed 4,991 astromaterials on loan to 52 researchers in the Houston, Texas, area 

and 7 researchers in the Washington, D.C., area as of March 30, 2011. The Houston 

group included researchers at the Johnson Space Center, the Lunar and Planetary 

Institute, University of Houston, Rice University, and Texas A&M University. The

Washington, D.C., group included researchers at NASA Headquarters, Goddard Space 

Flight Center, Carnegie Institution of Washington, and U.S. Department of Interior (U.S.

Geological Survey).

 We reviewed each type of loan separately because the Agency uses 

different processes and controls for each type. We focused primarily on loans for 

research purposes because they account for most loans made by the Curation Office and 

have a higher risk of sample loss than loans for education or public display purposes. See 

Appendix B for the sampling approach we used to review astromaterials loaned to 

researchers.

To accomplish the review, we identified and reviewed policies, processes, and controls 

pertaining to the loans. To understand the Agency’s basic policy for the curation of 

astromaterials, we interviewed NASA’s Astromaterials Curator and reviewed 

NPD 7100.10E, “Curation of Extraterrestrial Materials.” To identify and understand the 

processes and controls, we interviewed the curators and reviewed Curation Office 

guidebooks. The interviewed curators included the Lunar Sample Curator, Meteorite 

Curator, Genesis Sample Curator, and Stardust/Cosmic Dust Curator. The guidebooks 

 30 The Curation Office also loans space exposed hardware samples to researchers. We did not review these 

loans because the loans are an informal activity and average about one loan per year.
APPENDIX A

24 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

included the Lunar Sample Allocation Guidebook, Stardust Sample Investigator’s 

Guidebook, and Genesis Research Sample Investigator’s Guidebook. To verify and test 

the processes and controls, we interviewed the selected researchers; conducted physical

inventories of astromaterials in their possession; and reviewed the Office’s files on each 

researcher, including loan agreements, security plans, sample assignment 

acknowledgements, and the researcher’s verifications of inventories. We also reviewed 

researchers’ use of astromaterials by asking researchers to provide dates they last used 

judgmentally selected lunar and meteorite samples.31

Educator Loans. NASA has a total of 455 lunar and meteorite education disks available 

for loan for education purposes. To verify and test controls over the Education Disk 

Program, we reviewed and accounted for 70 percent (320 out of 455) of the education 

disks managed by Johnson’s Educational Sample Center. To understand the relevant 

procedures, requirements, and controls we interviewed the Education Curator and 

reviewed NPD 1387.2F, “Use, Control, and Loan of Lunar Samples for Public and 

Educational Purposes.” We conducted a physical inventory and observed 78 percent 

(248 out of 320) of the education disks available. We did not physically observe the 

remaining 72 disks because they were on loan to various education facilities around the 

nation. To account for the 72 education disks that were on loan, we reviewed related 

records, including lunar/meteorite sample disk certification forms, loan agreements, and 

security plans. 

 We used the dates the researcher 

provided to calculate the average length of time the researchers held the samples without 

using them for research.

Public Display Loans. NASA has 94 lunar sample displays on exhibit worldwide. We 

reviewed two displays on loan to exhibitors in Houston, Texas, as of March 30, 2011: the 

Houston Museum of Natural Science and Space Center Houston. We limited our review 

to the loans in Houston due to limited audit resources and because astromaterials loaned 

for public display have a relatively low risk of loss. To accomplish the review, we 

identified and reviewed requirements, procedures, and controls pertaining to NASA’s 

Exhibits Program. We interviewed the Johnson Exhibit Manager and reviewed NPD 

1387.1G, “NASA Exhibit Program,” and NPR 1387.1, “NASA Exhibits Program 

w/Change 2.” To verify and test controls, we interviewed officials with the Houston 

Museum of Natural Science and Space Center Houston, and conducted physical 

inventories of astromaterials in the exhibitors’ possession. We also reviewed related 

records including the exhibitors’ Lunar Sample Display Agreements for Long-Term 

Display, security plans, and sample assignment acknowledgements.

Use of Computer-Processed Data. We used computer-processed data provided by the 

Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office in order to select our samples to perform 

this audit. Specifically, we used computer-generated lists of astromaterials loaned to 

researchers in the Houston, Texas, and Washington, D.C., areas. However, because we 

identified several internal control weaknesses with NASA’s inventory records, as 

 31 See Appendix B for the sampling approach we used to select the samples for the review.
APPENDIX A

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 25

described in this report, we could not rely on the computer-processed data. As a result, 

we compared the appropriate source documents to what we observed in the inventory to 

verify whether the astromaterials at the various locations and records were accurate and 

complete.

Review of Internal Controls 

We examined NASA’s internal controls over loans of astromaterial samples, to include 

the use and control of the samples on loan. We determined that the internal controls over 

astromaterials loaned to researchers need improvement to minimize risk of loss. 

Additionally, practices and policies over astromaterials loaned for education and public 

display need strengthening. See the “Results” section of the report for details. 

Prior Coverage

During the last 5 years, the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the 

Government Accountability Office (GAO) have not issued any reports of relevance to the 

subject of this report. However, the NASA OIG issued Report Number A-JS-86-04, 

“Final Report on the Management and Control of Lunar Materials Program,” dated 

October 22, 1987. The report examined, but was not limited to, reviews of lunar samples 

loaned to domestic researchers and lunar samples under the control of the Public Affairs 

Office. The review of loans to domestic researchers disclosed problems concerning the 

performance of annual inventories and proper execution of lunar sample loan agreements. 

The review of samples under control of the Public Affairs Office disclosed that the Office 

had not established adequate procedures and controls for safeguarding the samples for 

public display and educational activities. 
APPENDIX B

26 REPORT NO. IG-12-007

SAMPLING APPROACH FOR REVIEW 

OF ASTROMATERIALS LOANED 

TO RESEARCHERS

As of March 31, 2011, NASA had loaned 21,580 astromaterial samples to

377 researchers located throughout the United States. To best utilize our audit resources, 

we limited our review to astromaterials loaned to researchers located in the Houston, 

Texas, and the Washington, D.C., areas. We reviewed all astromaterials loaned to 

researchers in the Houston area and lunar samples loaned to researchers in the 

Washington, D.C., area.32 As shown in Table 4, our review covered 23 percent of the 

astromaterial samples loaned to 16 percent of the researchers in the United States.

Table 4. Number of Astromaterial Samples on Loan and Number of Samples Reviewed

Number of Samples by Type

Location

Number of

Researchers Lunar Meteorite Genesis Stardust

Cosmic

Dust Total

United States 377 8,827 9,426 277 929 2,121 21,580

 Houston, Texas 52 2,039 1,281 12 97 826 4,255

 Washington, D.C. 7 657 79 0 0 0 736

 Total 59 2,696 1,360 12 97 826 4,991

Percentage 

Reviewed 16% 31% 14% 4% 10% 39% 23%

To determine whether researchers kept samples for extended periods either before or after 

conducting research, we asked researchers to provide the dates they last used specific 

lunar and meteorite samples we judgmentally selected.

33

1. Researchers Located at Johnson. We used the number of samples held by the 

researchers as the basis for selecting samples for review. If a researcher had 50 or 

fewer samples of a particular astromaterial, we asked for the last used date for all 

samples. If a research had more than 50 samples, we requested last use dates for 

10 percent of randomly selected samples. For example, if a researcher had 

45 lunar samples and 90 meteorite samples, we asked for the last use dates for all 

45 of the lunar samples and 9 (10 percent of 90) of the meteorite samples. 

 Because researchers at Johnson 

generally had more samples than researchers located elsewhere, we used two approaches 

to select samples for review

 32 At the request of the Meteorite Curator, we also interviewed a researcher with meteorite samples because 

the researcher had been nonresponsive to NASA’s repeated attempts to contact him.

33 We excluded Genesis and Stardust samples because all of the allocations were made less than 5 years 

ago. We also excluded cosmic dust because they are not returned to NASA at the end of the loan period. 
APPENDIX B

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 27

2. Researchers Located Elsewhere. We used the number of years that researchers 

had samples in their custody as the basis for selecting samples for review. 

Because NASA had not established reasonable timeframes for sample use and 

return, we judgmentally considered 5 years a reasonable period for researchers to 

use and return samples. Consequently, we asked researchers to provide the date 

they last used any lunar or meteorite sample held for more than 5 years.
APPENDIX C 

28 REPORT NO. IG-12-007 

MANAGEMENT COMMENTS
APPENDIX C

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 29
APPENDIX C

30 REPORT NO. IG-12-007
APPENDIX C

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 31
APPENDIX C

32 REPORT NO. IG-12-007
APPENDIX D

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 33

REPORT DISTRIBUTION

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Administrator

Deputy Administrator

Chief of Staff

Associate Administrator, Office of Communications

Associate Administrator, Office of Education

Associate Administrator, International and Interagency Relations

Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate

Director, Planetary Science Division

Director, Johnson Space Center

Director, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate

Manager, Astromaterials Acquisition & Curation Office

Exhibits Manager 

NASA Advisory Council’s Audit, Finance, and Analysis Committee

Non-NASA Organizations and Individuals

Office of Management and Budget

Deputy Associate Director, Energy and Science Division

Branch Chief, Science and Space Programs Branch

Government Accountability Office

Director, NASA Financial Management, Office of Financial Management and 

Assurance

Director, NASA Issues, Office of Acquisition and Sourcing Management

Congressional Committees and Subcommittees, Chairman and 

Ranking Member

Senate Committee on Appropriations

Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Subcommittee on Science and Space

Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

House Committee on Appropriations

Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Subcommittee on Government Organization, Efficiency, and Financial Management

House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight

Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

REPORT NO. IG-12-007 35

Major Contributors to the Report:

Rebecca Sharek, Director, Space Operations Directorate

Loretta Atkinson, Project Manager

Barbara Moody, Lead Auditor

Eugene Bauer, Auditor

Jim Griggs, Auditor

Doug Orton, Auditor

Cedric Campbell, Legal Counsel

Melissa Martinez, Program Assistant
DECEMBER 8, 2011

REPORT No. IG-12-007

OFFICE OF AUDITS

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

ADDITIONAL COPIES

Visit http://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY12/ to obtain additional copies of this report, or contact the 

Assistant Inspector General for Audits at 202-358-1232.

COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT

In order to help us improve the quality of our products, if you wish to comment on the quality or 

usefulness of this report, please send your comments to Mr. Laurence Hawkins, Audit Operations and 

Quality Assurance Director, at Laurence.B.Hawkins@nasa.gov or call 202-358-1543.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AUDITS

To suggest ideas for or to request future audits, contact the Assistant Inspector General for Audits. 

Ideas and requests can also be mailed to:

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

NASA Headquarters

Washington, DC 20546-0001

NASA HOTLINE

To report fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement, contact the NASA OIG Hotline at 800-424-9183 or 

800-535-8134 (TDD). You may also write to the NASA Inspector General, P.O. Box 23089, L’Enfant 

Plaza Station, Washington, DC 20026, or use http://oig.nasa.gov/hotline.html#form. The identity of 

each writer and caller can be kept confidential, upon request, to the extent permitted by law.