With SpaceX’s Dragon capsule docking with the International Space Station and making history as the world’s first commercial supply (space-)ship, it’s clear that the rules of space flight are in the process of changing in ways that seemed, at best, unlikely years ago. No wonder, then, that NASA is looking to ensure that some things remain the same… For example, the moon.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced late last week that the Google Lunar X Prize is recognizing its guidelines to “protect lunar historic sites and preserve ongoing and future science on the moon,” and that those guidelines will be taken into account as the judging into the 26 teams attempting to win private funding that would enable them to reach the moon.
“NASA recognizes that many spacefaring nations and commercial entities are on the verge of landing spacecraft on the moon,” the agency explained in a statement, adding that it had “engaged in a cooperative dialogue with the X Prize Foundation and the Google Lunar X Prize teams to develop the recommendations, and that all parties “share a common interest in preserving humanity’s first steps on another celestial body and protecting ongoing science from the potentially damaging effects of nearby landers.”
Amongst the suggestions being adopted by Lunar X, any landing must take place at least 1.2 miles from any Apollo landing site, and at least 1,600 feet from the Ranger impact sites, in order to keep those historical sites free from potential contamination or damage, such as accidental sandblasting from any moon dust being blown up by passing spacecraft. “Only one misstep could forever damage this priceless human treasure,” warn the guidelines.
The guidelines, which are available here, use scientific data from previous lunar missions and the analysis of data collected during such studies as well as testimony and input from those involved in the missions and subsequent studies. Despite such impressive credentials, the agency goes to great lengths to state that the guidelines are in no way legally binding and “do not represent mandatory U.S. or international requirements.” Fortunately, traffic is still so rare up there that everyone has a little bit of time before we have to start worrying about legal jurisdiction or space cops…
No way…..we waited too damn long to see what’s on the moon and too see if there really was a.coverup….its time for the truth to come out either way
NASA has to bury the fact they never went and lied to the world in their “preserve history” BS. At this point what is the difference when the truth comes out? Their budget or space exploration will never be resurrected and so what if they get a black eye for lying?
People should be calling on NASA to remove their crap instead of hiding behind the preserving historic site rhetoric.
There is some interesting information in the guidelines they have provided. Some of which has probably not been released before. The rules they have set forth are the typical complicated bureaucratic kind. Some of the exclusion zones they list make it pretty obvious they are trying to hide something at certain sites as they forbid even rovers to approach for photographs.
NASA is more concerned with preserving their old space junk from their glory days than with space exploration. This is similar to the old guy on your block who has a rusted out muscle car sitting on flat tires that he refuses to get rid of and is convinced that it is a priceless artifact.
These little trips to the Moon are meaningless compared to the space flight I’m planning on after I’m dead.
In some sense the Moon is the ultimate “space station”.
I find it a bit ironic that NASA seems more concerned with protecting impact spots that they call “human treasures” more than the natural setting of the moon itself.
However, it’s good news that space travel is becoming more available, in my opinion…