For All Moonkind, Inc., the only organization in the world dedicated to protecting human heritage in space, announced today that it will intensify its work to obtain recognition of and protection for human cultural heritage in outer space, starting with the historic lunar landing sites on the Moon. The organization makes this declaration in the wake of the rocket debris, believed to have originated in China, which appears to have impacted the far side of the Moon on March 4, 2022.
“We were lucky this time,” said Michelle Hanlon, Co-Founder of For All Moonkind, which is a Permanent Observer to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. “It doesn’t matter where the debris originated, imagine if it had hit one of the historic Apollo, Luna or Chang’e landing sites. What a loss for humanity.”
For All Moonkind will continue to advocate for heritage protection at the national and international level, this includes supporting efforts, like that of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space, to promulgate agreed upon guidelines to support responsible behavior to assure the sustainability of outer space activities for all humankind. The organization is also supporting US legislative efforts to address this issue as much as is possible at a national level.
“Human exploration of space is a story of stunning technological achievement and ambition built on the shoulders of scientists, engineers, adventurers and dreamers from around the world and throughout our history who answered the call of their own curiosity,” continued Hanlon, a space law professor at the University of Mississippi and President of the National Space Society. “In many ways, these mementos of our history which have been left behind on the Moon, are our most precious resource in space and we owe it to future generations to do everything we can to protect them.”
For All Moonkind will be participating in the meeting of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space from March 28 to April 8.
To learn more about human items that can be found on the Moon, visit the For All Moonkind Moon Registry at www.moonregistry.forallmoonkind.org
About For All Moonkind
For All Moonkind, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its entirely volunteer team is working to develop international protocols that will balance development and preservation and include systems to select, manage and study relevant sites. To learn more, visit:Â
