This Cache:
For centuries, man has looked to the skies and sought to uncover the mystery of the universe. The telescope brought into focus the craters on the Moon and the canals on Mars, but it was limited, and man's insistent hunger for knowledge and experience would not be satisfied until he broke the massive chains of gravity and set foot himself on a planet other than his own. Project Mercury was his first venture into space — a testament to his technical ingenuity and courage, a green light to a hundred other projects which would take him still further.
Today astronauts and space vehicles do a great job studying rocks and soil harvested from the surfaces of our moon, Mars and even a comet. However, the most exhaustive studies of a sample's geology and biology can only be conducted here on Earth, where we can most effectively use the enormous international capabilities in scientific instrumentation. To conduct these in-depth studies, samples of rocks, soil and atmosphere are brought back to Earth. After all, nothing beats the hands-on expertise of scientists. While it is highly unlikely that a living organism would be found in any sample, we are taking the utmost care to protect our environment here on Earth. To this end, we are developing procedures to analyze all specimens in containment to determine if they are hazardous. Only after we are sure they are non-hazardous will they be studied for their scientific information.
However, NASA scientists and engineers are human, and as such prone to errors of judgement and making of mistakes. Although it can neither be confirmed or denied, some samples of some specimens brought back to earth for study may have gone missing...
To find this cache there is NO NEED to:
- break off
- pry away
- shatter
- snap
- smash
- fracture
- fragment
- splinter
- pierce
- puncture
- penetrate
- perforate
- mutilate
- ravage
- ruin
- spoil
- blemish
- otherwise damage any natural object or structure near GZ.
It is requested that should you discover The Specimen, you keep it to yourself. Please no PAFs or TAFs.
This Series:
This cache is part of the SPACE 2081: A Geocaching Odyssey challenge.
This challenge contains one cache of each difficulty and terrain combination, plus a final cache which can be found only after finding all 81 caches that are part of the series. Each of those 81 caches will contain a code, which you will use as part of the puzzle to solve the FINAL CACHE.
All the members of the space team are actual cachers who are remaining anonymous for the moment. You can find more info on the series, as well as a complete list of released caches HERE. Please do not post hints or spoilers in your logs. Also, each cache must be signed by any individual cachers going for the final.
Good luck, may the force be with you, live long and prosper.
Space Online: