Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Credit: OSTP

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has released a new report: Protecting & Preserving Apollo Program Lunar Landing Sites & Artifacts.

Credit: NASA

Recommendations

— The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of State, and other interested Departments and Agencies, with guidance from the National Space Council, should strategically look for opportunities to leverage lunar missions by and with other Governments and commercial entities to assist in preserving and protecting Apollo lunar artifacts. This effort should also include investigating opportunities to partner on missions with various entities to observe the effect of the lunar environment on different materials used in Apollo lunar artifacts and the artifacts of other States.

— The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in coordination with the United States Department of State and other interested Departments and Agencies and with guidance from the National Space Council, and other relevant U.S. entities should continue discussions regarding lunar heritage site preservation with foreign space agencies, as appropriate. This effort should include discussion of rights and responsibilities in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty as well as opportunities and challenges shared by space-faring and emerging space countries. Fora for these discussions include the annual International Astronautical Congress, future International Space Exploration fora, the International Space Exploration Coordination Group, the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and other multilateral and bilateral meetings.

— The United States Department of State, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other interested Departments and Agencies, with guidance from the National Space Council, and other relevant U.S. entities should investigate the feasibility of working with the international community to develop non-binding best practices for preserving and protecting lunar artifacts on a “reciprocal, transparent, and mutually beneficial” basis.

— The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of State, and other interested Departments and Agencies, with guidance from the National Space Council, and other relevant U.S. public and private entities, should discuss the pros and cons of beginning international dialogue on the best ways to mitigate risks presented by future human and robotic exploration to the lunar artifacts of the United States and other countries.

The report is available at:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Protecting-and-Preserving-Apollo-Program-Lunar-Landing-Sites-and-Artifacts.pdf