Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Dec 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000aas...19713705o&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, 197th AAS Meeting, #137.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 33, p.725
Mathematics
Logic
Scientific paper
With the first Russian flyby mission in 1959, the quest for robotic, and eventually, manned exploration of the moon became fact rather than fiction. Since then there have been innumerable spacecraft impacts and landers which have left artifacts and created archaeological sites on the lunar surface. One of the most significant events in lunar exploration came with the successful landing of the manned Apollo 11 mission in the Sea of Tranquillity (July 20, 1969). Missions such as these form a transcript of the world's quest to explore space and are evidence of humanity's first steps in this ultimate journey. One would think that, given the historic nature of these endeavors, some process would have been established to preserve sites for future generations. There is certainly little disagreement within the astronomical and archeological communities that lunar landing and impact sites are precious cultural resources containing irreplaceable artifacts that attest to humanity's initial efforts to explore other worlds. But, in fact, there are no federal preservation laws, nor international criteria, which directly address preservation procedures and decisions on other solar system bodies. Although the moon's remoteness and isolation have protected lunar sites to date, recent commercial interests in development, and in private robotic exploration, of the moon, make preservation of these historic sites even more timely. This preliminary study, funded in part by NASA, has begun to document the Apollo 11 landing site by making the first complete inventory of artifacts, and features, and completing an archeological site map of Tranquillity Base. We will discuss the issues in obtaining accurate lists of the cultural resources left behind, in documenting their historic context, and in the problems of selenographic mapping. Detailed information is needed to document the integrity historical importance of any location with the eventual aim of having it listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although we began this work with Apollo 11 and the Tranquillity Base location, we feel that the Russian landing and impact areas, and the remaining Apollo sites should be similarly studied and protected. Documenting these sites is the first step in preserving the technological and historical legacy of early lunar exploration, and in understanding the roots of international cooperation in space.
Brown Frank L.
Gibson R. A.
O'Leary Ben
Versluis J.
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