You are here

We're Not Talking Craters Of The Moon National Monument...

Jules Verne
Friday, July 12, 2013

Early this year the folks at Space.com were musing about the possibility of creating interstellar national park sites. Apparently some congressfolk were listening, as a bill has been introduced to protect Apollo lunar landing sites on the Moon by creating a national historical park around them.

"As commercial enterprises and foreign nations acquire the ability to land on the moon," wrote the bill's authors, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), "it is necessary to protect the Apollo lunar landing sites for posterity."

Whether the proposed Apollo Lunar Landing Site National Historical Park legislation goes anywhere remains to be seen. But can you imagine the gear rangers would need to patrol it and provide interpretation to anyone who showed up to get their national parks Passport stamped?

They'll have to establish it as a park of some kind eventually, in addition to becoming a World Heritage Site. We don't know who owns the moon. I don't know if there is some precedent that says that objects placed on the moon are owned by the country of origin.


Precedent has been sent. I suspect we (world community) will have to do something along the lines of the 1959 Antarctic Tready. The treaty, signed by 45 nations, suspended the claims of seven countries for territory in the region. Today, Antarctica is designated as “a continent for science,” and only used for peaceful purposes.

Likewise, the moon, does not belong to any nation, but should be governed under an international treaty that bars countries from owning or exploiting its land.


Add comment

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.