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The conflict between exploration and history

The Google X Prize has agreed to recognize the guidelines created by NASA for protecting the historic first landing sites on the Moon.

In glancing at the guidelines, I found it fascinating that it only mentions the Soviet lunar rover sites as an aside, noting their value but stating that

One Lunokhod rover is the property of Russia, and the other has been sold to a private individual. Consequently, NASA has no authority to set conditions on their sites and these USG recommendations do not apply. Nevertheless, the LRRR arrays on each rover are invaluable tools for continuing studies of the Moon and of General Relativity.

Protecting these historic sites is obviously essential, but deciding how much protection they should get will be a battle that will have no good solution. Not only will future lunar colonists want to see these sites (as tourists) but scientists will have good reasons to study them. Yet, any visit will change their pristine nature forever.

As the saying goes, however, “This is a good problem!” When we finally begin to fight it out it will be because humans will finally be establishing permanent colonies on the Moon.

Sadly (for my generation), the problem of what to do with the historic sites on the Moon is not really an issue. Hopefully, the generation growing up today will have to tackle it.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

2 comments

  • wodun

    Hmm, wasn’t an old Russian piece of equipment discovered via some new survey photos a year or two ago by an amateur who then decided to see if it was still working and started communicating with it by shining a laser on it?

    I wonder how interacting in a method like this with defunct equipment would be viewed?

  • Hebo

    I just don’t get why we didn’t continue our lunar exploration. I believe there is probably something in the conspiracy theories available. We could take our pick. Like you, I am at the age now that even with excellerated efforts, I will not live to see the achievements. That ticks me off.

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