The World Monuments Fund has added the moon to its 2025 “at-risk” sites list, citing concerns over increasing space debris and potential tourism in orbit. As human space exploration accelerates, over 90 significant sites on the moon, including the Apollo 11 landing site, face possible harm, according to to a report by the New York Times.
With more private companies and governments sending people to space, the organization fears that space debris and increasing tourism could endanger key historical sites on the moon. Among these is Tranquility Base, the site where Neil Armstrong famously became the first person to walk on the lunar surface. As space exploration continues, the Fund calls for more international regulation to protect lunar heritage.
Space heritage, while a new concept, is becoming a pressing concern. The World Monuments Fund has long advocated for the preservation of Earth’s historical landmarks and is now looking to extend those efforts to celestial bodies.
However, unlike Earth-bound cultural heritage, preserving lunar sites presents unique challenges, according to the report. Since 2020, the Artemis Accords, a non-binding agreement signed by the U.S. and 51 other countries, has laid out broad guidelines for outer space exploration, including the protection of space heritage like spacecraft and landing sites. While these guidelines are encouraging, they are still not enforceable on a global scale.
Experts in the field are divided over the level of urgency. Michelle Hanlon, a space law expert and founder of For All Moonkind, emphasizes that while scientific expeditions to far-flung sites on the moon are unlikely to pose a significant threat, the rapid expansion of space tourism could disrupt historic sites, particularly near the Apollo 11 landing site.
Additionally, defunct satellites that crash onto the lunar surface could cause further damage, as the moon lacks the atmosphere needed to burn up these objects.
The World Monuments Fund sees this as an opportunity to raise awareness about the moon’s vulnerable cultural heritage. Jonathan Bell, vice president of programs, envisions a future where recreational space travel becomes common. He believes that the inclusion of the moon on the endangered sites list is an important step in advocating for preservation in an age where the boundaries of human exploration are rapidly expanding. The Fund urges that action be taken now, before it’s too late to protect humanity’s shared history beyond Earth.
The list also includes other sites endangered by human activity, such as the Gaza Strip, areas in Ukraine, and natural landmarks like eroding coastlines in Kenya and the United States.
