All articles tagged with #space heritage
The article discusses the legal challenges of protecting lunar sites and resources, highlighting gaps in current space law, especially regarding heritage sites and resource extraction, and emphasizes the need for international frameworks to balance access, protection, and ownership as lunar exploration intensifies.
Scientists argue that humans have caused enough disturbance on the Moon to enter a new geological era called the "lunar anthropocene." Over a hundred spacecraft have landed on the Moon since 1959, leaving behind artifacts such as American flags, golf balls, and television equipment. The researchers call for the recognition and preservation of these items as part of a new academic field called "space heritage." They also emphasize the need to discuss and mitigate human impact on the lunar surface before it becomes irreversible.