A man has been convicted of attempting to sell a collection of moon rocks and meteorites stolen by three NASA interns last year. Gordon McWhorter, 27, was convicted Wednesday in federal court of stealing property of value to the United States and interstate transportation of stolen property. He faces up to 25 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

Sentencing is scheduled Aug. 27. His attorney said he plans to appeal. McWhorter was the only defendant tried for the July 15 thefts from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Tiffany Fowler, 26, Thad Roberts, 26, and Shae Saur, 20, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft and interstate transportation of stolen property. They will be sentenced Aug. 5.

Source: Associated Press

Why would anyone want a moon rock - it's still a rock! Something I'd want to see but not have- and what does his lawyer think he's going to accomplish by appealing....duh

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Why would anyone want a moon rock - it's still a rock!

I agree. A rock is a rock. My best friend was telling me that a girl that she works with purchased LAND on the moon for around $5,000. Whether or not its a scam, I couldn't believe someone would do that. What is she supposed to do with land on the Moon when she can't even go there. If that's how it works I think I'd like a piece of Mars, or Saturn, or no wait, Venus! Amazing what people will do...

It may still be a rock, but you'd be surprised at how many people would pay good money for a physical chunk of the moon itself.

I wouldn't be surprised that in the future there will be a lot of money to be made from moon 'trinkets', where special missions are flown there simply to bring back moon rocks to sell to potential buyers.

As for the idea of purchasing land on the moon, that has always puzzled me. Who exactly can claim to own the moon in the first place to be able to sell plots of it to other people ?

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As for the idea of purchasing land on the moon, that has always puzzled me. Who exactly can claim to own the moon in the first place to be able to sell plots of it to other people ?

My point exactly SaRuMaN!