Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Gai Jorayev, Macau University of Tourism, Macau, g.jorayev@outlook.com
Beth Laura O’Leary, New Mexico State University, USA, boleary@nmsu.edu
In this session we invite papers on any aspect of space archaeology and heritage, tangible or intangible, on or off Earth.
Space archaeology encompasses a broad range of places and objects, from launch sites, debris impact sites and tracking stations on Earth’s surface, to space junk in Earth orbit and planetary landing and impact sites across the solar system. The heritage values of these places are under threat because they are perceived too recent, or as an obstacle to space development. Nevertheless, the importance of space heritage is recognised in key space industry documents such as the Building Blocks for the Development of an International Framework on Space Resource Activities (known as the Hague Building Blocks, 2019) and the Global Expert Group for Sustainable Lunar Activity’s Key Principles and Recommended Framework (2023).
While some places have received much attention, such as Tranquility Base on the Moon, others have not yet been the focus of study. Each nation will have some infrastructure related to space, even if it is only domestic satellite television dishes or megaconstellation terminals. The modern world is becoming more reliant on satellite services such as telecommunications and navigation. At the same time, private companies are pushing to develop the Moon.
Space exploration is profoundly colonialist and military, yet also promises liberation and utopia. The meanings of this material record are multivalent and constantly shifting. What stories do artefacts and places reveal about human dispersion across Earth and into space? What does this archaeological record signify, now, and into the future?
Papers:
Impact of Increasing Commercialisation and Militarisation of the Space Environment on Space Heritage Conservation
Jessica Pearson, Vardir; Helix Heritage Solutions
Vanessa Chapman, Hexos Space Heritage; Vardir,
Jessica Baker, Helix Heritage Solutions,
Once the domain of Cold War-era competition, a new space environment is taking off at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, shaped by private enterprise, national space agencies, and emerging spacefaring nations. This rapid shift in activity has profound implications for the protection and recognition of space heritage, which is already challenged to keep pace with the complexities of national and international priorities.
The current trajectory of the global space sector continues to marginalise heritage in favour of state dominance and profit. Many modern launches, though often labelled as commercial or scientific, serve dual-use purposes—supporting both corporate interests and national security agendas. Furthermore, the recent withdrawals and reinterpretations of space treaties and agreements have shifted the geopolitical landscape in the context of broader current affairs.
This paper explores how the evolving dynamics of power and purpose in orbit and other locations threaten the conservation of space heritage by examining the events and policies that have shaped this environment over the past two years, ultimately calling for urgent dialogue and protective frameworks that prioritise cultural values alongside strategic interests.
Exploring the Potential for Application of Pedestrian Transects in Space Archaeology
Vanessa Chapman, Hexos Space Heritage; Vardir,
Space archaeology is at a crossroads between conceptualisation, theorisation, and practice. As it currently stands, there are no standardised approaches to space heritage other than a general notion that it should be conserved as the space environment continues to be explored and utilised by humanity. In continuing the drive to protect space heritage, people logically draw upon the already known concepts of terrestrial archaeology to explore the unknowns of space archaeology.
In Western Australia, there are three main methodologies used in consulting archaeology – desktop surveys, field surveys, and excavation. While desktop surveys are an obviously logistically appropriate approach to space heritage, and Walsh, Graham, Gorman, Brosseau, and Abdullah (2024) have applied an excavation methodology in space in their SQuARE experiment, there has not yet been a dedicated exploration of the application of field survey methodologies in space heritage.
In this paper I explore Western Australia’s most favoured field survey methodology, pedestrian transects, in its definition, limitations, and potential application in the archaeological investigation of space heritage now and into the future.
Protecting Our Dark Skies: Indigenous Knowledges and the Law
Dr Shea Esterling, University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand
This presentation will deliver the results of the first portion of my research project on the protection of dark skies and Indigenous knowledges in Aotearoa New Zealand as funded by the Borrin Foundation (NZ). This project involves travelling to locations certified as International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand by the non-profit organisation DarkSky International for a period of six weeks in total between April and November 2025. During these visits, I conducted interviews with stakeholders to determine if certification as an IDSP has secured the benefits that DarkSky International articulates. The aim of these visits was to understand the issues surrounding the regulation of dark skies (i.e. how dark skies may be appropriately used for scientific and commercial purposes) and the promotion and protection of Indigenous knowledges, particularly the knowledges of Indigenous women. It will evaluate what has worked well and what could be improved upon in relation to the promotion and protection of dark skies and Indigenous rights in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Ultimately, these observations on successes and challenges will inform the development of legislation for dark skies that reflects mātauranga Māori (Māori Indigenous knowledge) in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Conceptualising Approaches to the Archaeology and Heritage of Earth-Based Remains from the First Space Age
Gai (Gaygysyz) Jorayev, Macao University of Tourism (UTM) and ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on AeroSpace Heritage
Recent changes in funding, technologies, facilities, and approaches to space exploration raise profound questions about its future purpose and philosophy. These changes also highlight significant questions regarding the archaeological record of space exploration and how it is investigated and understood. Supported by groups of heritage specialists, attention to off-Earth space heritage is increasing, and debates over its significance are gaining momentum. However, there is arguably not a corresponding increase in attention to Earth-based remains of the so-called First Space Age. While initial efforts to document the heritage of the space programme and facilities and to disseminate its significance were strong and remained visible, driven partly by public interest and partly by propaganda, we now face a new reality where large-scale decommissioning and defunding are occurring rapidly for political and economic reasons. How do we ensure that facilities with complex histories are treated as heritage assets? How do we conduct archaeological research, as well as archival investigations and ethnographic work in these very specialised environments? Do we need new methodological approaches beyond those in our current toolset from industrial and 20th-century heritage research? How do we conceptualise our theoretical approaches going forward to ensure that we do more than mere museumification?
Remains and Human Traces on the Moon. Archaeological Potential for Space Exploration Studies
Shany Morcaut, University of Neuchatel, Switzerland
Heritage has always been a way for humans to feel connected to their past and their peers. For the last century, this connection has developed further, and the lunar surface now carries both materials and physical traces of the first exploration of another celestial body. The Moon therefore represents an unparalleled case study for investigating the archaeological potential of space heritage in the context of the Anthropocene. The materiality of anthropic remains and traces offers an innovative perspective for studying the Space Age and the tangible impact of human activity on its environment.
Archaeological methods have been used to study the history of space exploration for the past 25 years, but there is still a need to establish a comprehensive methodological framework for analysing lunar heritage in its entirety. This paper seeks to answer this by presenting a systematic classification of all anthropic remains on the Moon, creating an extensive analytical database with a typological and functional classification.
Through an interdisciplinary approach combining archaeology, remote sensing, space policy, and heritage conservation, this research provides a foundation for the recognition of lunar remains as part of our shared heritage, emphasising their scientific and historical value for present and future generations.
Australis Oscar V: Rethinking Space Heritage through Archaeology and Material Culture
Jessica Pearson, Vardir; Helix Heritage Solutions
Built in 1970 by students and volunteers in Melbourne, Australis Oscar V was the first satellite constructed in Australia. Although not the first Australian satellite launched into orbit, it remains the oldest surviving example, following the disintegration of the earlier-launched WRESAT satellite. While its technical achievements are recognised, its archaeological and heritage value remains underexplored. This paper examines Australis Oscar V through the lens of space archaeology and heritage management, questioning how we define and protect cultural heritage beyond Earth. What makes an object in orbit a heritage site? How do we assess significance when the artefact is inaccessible and continuously in motion? By situating Australis Oscar V within current debates on orbital debris, heritage classification, and long-term preservation, this paper argues for the inclusion of space-based sites and artefacts within broader archaeological discourse. It considers the ethical and practical challenges of protecting objects in space and proposes a framework for future identification, documentation, and recognition of material culture in orbit. As human activity in space increases, so too must our commitment to preserving the stories and structures that reflect our shared past—on Earth and beyond.