The World Monuments Fund (WMF) has expanded its scope beyond Earth by including the Moon on its list of endangered heritage sites, a first in the organisation’s history.
The Moon’s Inclusion
The Moon’s surface serves as a repository of human and robotic exploration spanning the last century. Sites such as the Apollo 11 landing area in the Sea of Tranquility, which contains Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s historic footprints, are monuments to humanity’s first ventures beyond Earth. However, the WMF has expressed concern that the surge in lunar missions and the burgeoning space tourism industry could endanger these invaluable artefacts.
Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of the WMF, highlighted the significance of this inclusion, “For the first time, the Moon is included on the Watch list to reflect the urgent need to recognise and preserve the artefacts that testify to humanity’s first steps beyond Earth — a defining moment in our shared history.”
Threats to Lunar Heritage
The Moon’s unique environment, which lacks wind and water, has preserved these landing sites for decades. However, increased exploration and commercial activities pose significant risks. Artefacts such as the camera used to capture the televised Moon landing, a memorial disk left by Armstrong and Aldrin, and numerous other objects face potential degradation in the absence of robust preservation protocols.
The inclusion of the Moon on the World Monuments Watch underscores the need for proactive, cooperative strategies to protect heritage, not only on Earth but also in outer space. It aims to spark critical discussions on how to safeguard these sites, which form a vital part of humanity’s collective narrative.
The New Space Race and its Implications
The ever-growing space industry is driving a renewed race to explore the Moon. Companies such as EOS-X SPACE are planning commercial space trips, while major missions like NASA’s Artemis programme are on the horizon. Artemis III, scheduled for 2027, is expected to mark the first crewed Moon landing since the 1970s, while Artemis II in 2026 will conduct a Moon flyby to test deep space exploration capabilities.
As lunar activities accelerate, the need to establish international protocols to preserve lunar heritage becomes ever more urgent. The WMF’s decision to include the Moon on its watch list is a pivotal step in ensuring that the legacy of humanity’s space exploration is protected for future generations.