Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — For the first time, the Moon has been added to the World Monuments Watch list of endangered cultural sites, highlighting concerns over potential damage from increasing human activity on its surface. Moon inclusion in the list marking the first instance of a location beyond Earth being classified as at risk.
The World Monuments Fund (WMF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving cultural heritage worldwide, announced the Moon inclusion as part of its 2025 biennial report containing 25 endangered cultural sites.
According to IFLScience, WMF President and CEO Bénédicte de Montlaur cited the recent surge in unmanned lunar missions as the primary reason for including Earth’s natural satellite in the World Monuments Watch list.
“For the first time, the Moon is included in the Watch List to reflect the urgent need to recognize and preserve artifacts that document humanity’s first ventures beyond Earth, a pivotal moment in our shared history,” de Montlaur said in a statement.
Rising Lunar Exploration Raises Concerns
Recent lunar explorations, including two landers launched by SpaceX, have spotlighted the increasing presence of human-made objects on the Moon. Since the 1960s, only five nations which is the United States, China, India, Japan, and the former Soviet Union have successfully landed spacecraft on the lunar surface. However, the number of missions is set to grow.
NASA’s Artemis III mission, planned for 2027, is expected to mark the first human lunar landing since the 1970s. While these missions signify remarkable scientific progress, they also raise concerns about contamination and damage to historically significant sites on the Moon.
Read also : NASA Further Delays its Artemis Mission, Postpone Moon Landing Until 2027
Moon’s sites and artifacts requiring protection include flags planted during the Apollo missions, cameras used to document lunar landings, and even the iconic footprints of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Without adequate preservation protocols, these artifacts risk degradation as lunar activities intensify.
A Call for Collaborative Preservation
The WMF emphasizes the need for proactive and collaborative strategies to safeguard cultural heritage, both on Earth and beyond. This includes protecting the hundreds of objects left on the lunar surface, such as memorial plaques, and other items that represent milestones in human history.
The Moon inclusion on the World Monuments Watch as an endangered cultural sites highlights the broader implications of human expansion into space. As more missions venture beyond Earth, the need for comprehensive measures to protect extraterrestrial cultural heritage has never been more urgent.
Preserving the Moon’s historical sites is not only about maintaining physical artifacts but also about honoring a moment that united humanity in its pursuit of exploration
(Raidi/Agung)
