There is no place the historical preservationists won't go! Or, if you're afraid of the idea of one-world government, hows about one-solar-system government?
But for archaeologists and historians worried that the next generation of people visiting the moon might carelessly obliterate the site of one of humanity's greatest accomplishments, these designations were important first steps toward raising awareness of the need to protect off-world artifacts.
“I think it's humanity's heritage,” said Beth L. O'Leary, a professor of anthropology at New Mexico State University. “It's just an incredible realm that archaeologists haven't begun to look at until now.”
Dr. O'Leary herself had not given much thought to historic preservation on the Moon until a student asked her in 1999 whether federal preservation laws applied to the Apollo landing sites.
“That started the ball rolling,” she said.
It turned out to be a tricky question. Under international law, the United States government still owns everything it left on the moon: the bottom half of the first lunar lander, the scientific experiments, the urine bags. But 100 nations, including the United States, have signed the Outer Space Treaty, in which they agree not to claim sovereignty over any part of the moon.
Nobody gets soverignty, but we have to find a way to preserve our artifacts. Sounds like a job for the United Federation of Planets. I say we make the moon a libertarian satellite. Try a little near-anarchy for a change.
