There is a new space race underway, with missions to the moon increasing at a significant pace. Recently, a spacecraft built by Intuitive Machines became the first U.S. mission to land on the moon since 1972’s Apollo mission.
China is preparing to launch Chang’e 6, furthering their lunar exploration program with plans to bring back lunar rocks from the far side of the moon. A NASA study suggests that 22 international missions could reach the moon by the end of 2026, potentially leading to astronauts leaving footprints on the moon once again.
Despite the exciting progress, researchers like Dr. Alanna Krolikowski and martin elvis warn of dangers overlooked in the rush of exploration. They emphasize the need to protect Sites of Extremely Scientific Significance (SESI) on the moon, similar to protecting special sites on Earth.
Krolikowski stresses the urgency of implementing SESI protections to avoid irreversible harm to these important areas. Two key locations on the moon, its backside shielded from Earth’s radio noise and its poles with valuable volatiles like water ice, require preservation for scientific research and exploration.
“The problem is urgent,” says Krolikowski. “We are facing a rapidly closing window in which SESI protections can be implemented to avoid the worst possible irreversible harm.”
Special attention is drawn to the moon’s poles with areas of eternal darkness that trap important volatiles. These regions hold valuable information about the history of the solar system, particularly in studying the early universe.
Researchers advocate for careful management of activities on the moon to avoid contaminating these special areas and preserving their natural state for exploration.
Proposals for protecting lunar SESIs include identifying and characterizing these areas, establishing rules in national and international space policies, and initiating negotiations under the United Nations for effective international cooperation.
Despite the challenges, experts like Krolikowski, Elvis, and Crawford stress the importance of getting it right to preserve the moon’s unique habitats and secrets. With increasing lunar activities, taking action now is crucial.
About our experts
Dr. Alanna Krolikowski is an assistant professor of political science at the Missouri Institute of Technology, specializing in space policy research published in academic journals like space policy and global policy.
martin elvis is an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics focusing on space economics, law, and ethics, with research published in Nature and other journals.
Professor Ian Crawford is a planetary scientist at Birkbeck University, known for his lunar science and exploration research published in various scientific journals.
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
