Archaeologists warn that metal remains from NASA’s rovers on Mars and other human activity on the red planet are crucial to understanding our species’ first steps into space. Dr. Justin Holcomb, a researcher at the University of Kansas, says that preserving these artifacts is essential for documenting humanity’s legacy in space exploration.
The team emphasizes that natural weathering, meteoroid impacts, and accidents can damage or destroy these “space heritage” sites, making it permanent. They propose designing missions to minimize damage to previous ones, but acknowledge that some projects might continue once documentation is made.
Holcomb likens human migration on Earth to leaving our “junk” as a treasure for future generations. He believes preserving space heritage ensures that history is accurately documented for future generations.
The concerns extend beyond Mars, with Apollo 11’s Tranquility base and the USSR’s Venera 7 mission to Venus being examples of space heritage sites that require protection. Experts, including Prof. Jan Wörner and astronomer royal Martin Rees, agree that preserving milestones in human exploration is crucial.
However, not everyone shares this view. Associate professor Jon Wade notes that some debris on Mars will outlast humanity, making it difficult to determine damage to space heritage sites without witnesses. He argues that the question of preservation is a cultural one, rather than a scientific one.
The team’s call for preserving space heritage on Mars highlights the importance of protecting our shared history in space exploration.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/16/our-martian-heritage-must-be-preserved-say-leading-scientists