March 19, 2022
By Lisa M. Keiger
Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s dusty footprint (click here) on the moon bears witness to one of humanity’s greatest technological achievements.
And it’s completely unprotected under international law.
“Once you blow away the footprint, that’s gone,” said space archeologist Beth O’Leary of New Mexico State University, who is among a growing chorus of experts pleading for formal protection of historic lunar sites and artifacts.
Just as UNESCO protects Egyptian pyramids, China’s Great Wall and other precious World Heritage sites on Earth, it must also protect many historic rockets, rovers, landing sites and memorabilia on the moon, they say....
By Lisa M. Keiger
Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s dusty footprint (click here) on the moon bears witness to one of humanity’s greatest technological achievements.
And it’s completely unprotected under international law.
“Once you blow away the footprint, that’s gone,” said space archeologist Beth O’Leary of New Mexico State University, who is among a growing chorus of experts pleading for formal protection of historic lunar sites and artifacts.
Just as UNESCO protects Egyptian pyramids, China’s Great Wall and other precious World Heritage sites on Earth, it must also protect many historic rockets, rovers, landing sites and memorabilia on the moon, they say....