The moon hosts more than 400,000 pounds of man-made material!

The lunar expanse is a treasure of the unexpected, featuring an array of items ranging from a lavish gold olive branch to a kit designed for unfurling flags.

Amidst this lunar menagerie are the remnants of planetary orbiters, a peculiar combination of a hammer and a falcon feather – integral components of a pioneering 1971 experiment demonstrating the equality of gravitational fall regardless of mass. Adding to the lunar collage are leftover urine-collection kits, an assemblage of robotic equipment from erstwhile lunar probes, and an assortment of diverse, intriguing objects.

The research behind it

Attempting to tabulate the exact volume of lunar discard is a puzzle in itself, but it’s estimated that human artefacts on the moon collectively tip the scales at an impressive 400,000 pounds, equivalent to approximately 181,000 kg on Earth. This ballpark figure, drawn from Wikipedia, seems apropos given the retention of weighty artefacts like five lunar rangers, a notion championed by NASA’s eminent chief historian, William Barry.

Gazing toward the moon, a testament to human ingenuity and exploration, we find its surface etched with remnants that tell a fascinating tale of our foray into the cosmos.

A significant portion of the lunar debris finds its origins in the footprints of NASA’s Apollo programme astronauts, who graced the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972. This celestial medley, however, is not confined to the efforts of human explorers alone. The lunar canvas also bears the imprints of crewless missions undertaken by an array of space-exploring agencies, encompassing contributions from the US, Russia, Japan, India, and Europe, as elaborated Barry.

An amalgamation of various factors

Among these remnants, a multitude of artefacts hails from earlier eras. Lunar probes, a hallmark of the 1960s, were dispatched to unravel the moon’s mysteries – including its potential as a landing site for spacecraft. An intriguing hypothesis had circulated, suggesting that the moon might possess a quagmire-like exterior, owing to the incessant pummelling and pulverisation by cosmic rocks across eons. These robotic envoys, valiantly stationed on the moon after completing their missions, dispelled this notion, demonstrating that human-crafted equipment could indeed find purchase on the lunar surface, as elucidated by Barry.

The moon’s narrative is further embellished with lunar orbiters that meticulously charted its contours before making their final descent into lunar embrace, contributing to the cosmic assemblage of remnants and refuse.

The bright side

Within the growing lunar repository resides an array of artefacts that have substantially enriched humanity’s understanding of the moon. Take, for instance, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), dispatched to scrutinise lunar hydrogen and confirm the presence of water. Triumphantly fulfilling its mission, LCROSS continues to linger on the lunar expanse, a testament to scientific achievement.

In the context of items left behind by Apollo astronauts, practicality was paramount. Barry highlights the engineering pragmatism that governed these historic missions. Resources, notably fuel, were allocated judiciously, prioritising the safe conveyance of astronauts and essential samples. In the grand endeavour of moon landing, the imperative was succinctly defined: Crew safety, mission success, and sample acquisition.

Yet, in the cosmic ballet, discarded remnants transform into valuable troves. While some might dub these lunar remnants as ‘garbage’ – an apt term for used urine-collection contraptions – NASA embraces a more benevolent perspective. These objects offer an unparalleled opportunity for study, revealing the interplay between space’s harsh environment and diverse materials over time. A case in point is the laser-range reflector left by Apollo 11 astronauts. This unassuming artefact facilitates distance measurements between Earth and the moon, unravelling the astonishing revelation that the moon is gradually inching away from our planet at a rate of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) annually, as reported by NASA.

Moreover, this lunar ‘trash’ holds not only scientific but archaeological significance. Future lunar travellers may seek out these remnants, tracing the path of human exploration across Apollo sites and the footprints of international space agencies, including NASA, the European Space Agency, and Roscosmos. The moon’s surface becomes a canvas upon which history and possibility converge, unveiling the legacy of human curiosity and ambition.