+ 1970 News Releases (7.6 Mb PDF file) - NASA

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MSC 70-111
The proposed site at 0escartes (8 degrees 51 minutes south and 15
degrees 34 minutes east) is between two small craters on a highland plai_
near ejecta _nich comprises some of the brightest material on the lunar
surface. The s%te offers the opportunity to sample typical old highland
terrain from the central mass of the highlands rather than from the
periphery.
It has been suggested that th_s region of the Moon_ with its
fissures_ grooves and hills_ was formed by volcanic activity. The
occurrence of such processes would oe of fundamental importance in
understanding the origin cf lunar highlands. Even more interesting
is vhe possibility of fincing surfaces that have remained essentially
unchanged since the Moon was first formed.
Samples from the Descartes sire would be important in determining
whether or not h_ghlands were formed by a very early differentiation
of the Moon or whether they represent a primitive_ undifferentiated
planetary
surface.
The suggested target at the Da_f site (10 degrees 52 minutes south
and 6 degrees west) is a chain-of-craters rille with its eastern end in
highland material forming the rim of the crater Davy v and its western
end in the floor of Davy ¥ in u_land basin fill. Da_r would offer an
excellent opportunity to s_aple at once old highland fill_ old highland
ridge material and young craters. It is suggested that the craters
forming the rille were caused by explosive eruptions which ejected
material from 100 kilometers {60 miles) or more beneath the lunar
surface. Such deep-seated material would provide direct evidence of
the age_ composition and physical properties of the lunar interior and
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