Apollo samples and the geochemical determination of basaltic achondrite parent bodies

Our understanding of the origin and evolution of basaltic meteorites has be en strongly linked to how we understand the origin and evolution of Moon ro cks. At one point, basaltic meteorites were thought to have come from the M oon; when Apollo samples were found to be chemically distinct from the HED and SNC meteorite families, new ideas for origins were demanded. Yet the ve ry techniques that were developed to understand the evolution of lunar basa lts have been found most useful when applied to extra-lunar basalts; likewi se, perhaps a deeper understanding of basaltic asteroids such as 4 Vesta wi ll eventually provide insights into lunar evolution.