How long would a footprint stay visible on the surface of the moon?

simple question , probably obvious answer but im gonna ask anyway . How long would the footprints of the first men on the moon last? We all know how close commercial and private companies are to landing on the moon, and in another article posted earlier (will link soon) NASA is encouraging people to staty away from certain areas of the moon(the US landing areas).. Basically what im asking is if someone was to check out the exact site the first foot was set on the moon ? should or would the footprint still be there to prove/disprove the MANNED moon landings ?

The experts here will answer better, but i'm sure it will pretty much last forever as there is no wind there.

Unless it gets hit by a passing rock, then it might get destroyed.

CX.

reply to post by CX


My thoughts exactly. i wish someone else would land there and take some pictures and prove us all right or wrong once and for all !

Why would new photos be any more proof then the originals?.....

Hasn't america made the apollo landing site a no fly zone? Your not going to find out once and for all. We all die never knowing for a fact what went on.

Would the US flag still be there from the first moon landing, or did they take it back home with them? Just a thought...................

Forever and ever and ever...

The only thing that will disturb them is either some space rocks hitting the area or someone else walking over it. Aside from that, they will last many, many times longer than you or I.

Originally posted by ThePeopleParty
Hasn't america made the apollo landing site a no fly zone? Your not going to find out once and for all. We all die never knowing for a fact what went on.

Oh man, that's funny.

What, exactly, are they going to do to stop anybody landing there...

Originally posted by stumason

Originally posted by ThePeopleParty
Hasn't america made the apollo landing site a no fly zone? Your not going to find out once and for all. We all die never knowing for a fact what went on.

Oh man, that's funny.

What, exactly, are they going to do to stop anybody landing there...

Yes I think so.

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — NASA has begun drafting guidelines to protect the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 landing sites, listing them as off-limits, and including ground-travel buffers and no-fly zones to avoid spraying rocket exhaust or dust onto aging, but historic, equipment.

www.space.com...

reply to post by ThePeopleParty


Som they can just ask other countries, who plan to go in the next 10 years, nicely and hope they don't go?

It won't be long before private corps will be going to the moon. There are a couple of projects already.

reply to post by ThePeopleParty

Hasn't america made the apollo landing site a no fly zone?

What right has the USA to declare anywhere on the moon a 'no fly zone'?
And how are they going to enforce it?

If I was financing a private flight to the moon I would go where the hell I wanted and as a point of principle I would visit previous landing sites which if genuine, and I personally believe they are - just maybe they've been a bit economical with the truth about what they found there, would still display all the signs, remnants etc from the visits.

I would like to think that I'd be completely transparent and honest about what was found there.

Originally posted by Jefferton
Why would new photos be any more proof then the originals?.....

its 2012 mate and people need more proof than something that could have been faked.

Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by ThePeopleParty

 

Som they can just ask other countries, who plan to go in the next 10 years, nicely and hope they don't go?

It won't be long before private corps will be going to the moon. There are a couple of projects already.

Yes but you know how things work. If you plant a flag on it then its yours )

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Americans actually claim the moon to be their property

No wind OR erosion because of no water so, however long without an asteroid hit to that exact spot or the whole moon somehow breaks apart. Not much else to just get rid of it.

No one can claim the moon, what the hell ? That's hilarious, really.
These people strike me as highly insecure and with serious delusions of grandeur, I mean, common now, thinking of the moon as property? Because that's basically what the US government is doing here, it's just sick.

Anyway, I believe it would stay there forever unless disturbed with.

Originally posted by ThePeopleParty
Hasn't america made the apollo landing site a no fly zone? Your not going to find out once and for all. We all die never knowing for a fact what went on.

I wouldn't worry about that too much, there will be a period of existence after you die in which the ability to journey astrally and to obtain information is possible.
All those little things you wanted to know, you will.

reply to post by wewillnotcomply666


The footprint would stay there, forever, until an impact of something close enough to disturb it.

NASA wants to protect those sites as they are historic sites for all of humanity, and if they aren't protected, they will be lost forever.

Think about it, if you could go to the moon, where are you going? The landing sites, the flag, you are gonna walk all over the place and probably try to take a souvenir, this is why they are asking people not to go there.

I think the smartest move would be to have some protective domes places around these sites, that protect from visitors but still allow people to visit and experience the sites for themselves.

reply to post by Freeborn

If I was financing a private flight to the moon I would go where the hell I wanted and as a point of principle I would visit previous landing sites which if genuine, and I personally believe they are - just maybe they've been a bit economical with the truth about what they found there, would still display all the signs, remnants etc from the visits.

Sure, one or two people like you would probably be smart enough not to mess the site up. But think logically. How much would you pay a private company for a trip to the moon, and a moon walk around one of the apollo sites? Think about the damage to those sites that just 1 single tour group could do.

I'd rather have those sites preserved forever than let people go snap pictures and walk all over the stuff. I stand by my dome idea, happy medium, you can still inspect, you just can't touch or damage anything, including footprints and rover tracks.

Once those are gone, they are gone. Once someone walks over the first footprint made on the moon, it is lost forever. Look at any historic site that isn't protected, raped of anything of historic value.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Sure, what you say may be true....but that still doesn't alter the fact that the US has no right whatsoever to proclaim a 'no fly zone' or anything at all on the moon.

It is an example of the American arrogance that seriously pisses off the rest of the world.

Obviously they deserve to have their opinion heard and given respectful consideration, after all they were US landings etc but any decision to preserve previous landing areas should be decided unanimously by the international community.

I'm not too comfortable with the idea of private companies going to the moon as their only priority will be profit but it seems individual nations are either reluctant or unable to spend the vast fortunes needed to fund manned flight to the moon.

Forever and ever and ever,

just kidding. Who knows, there is supposedly no wind on the moon but the flag flaps around. The moon is also pelted continuously by asteroids due to the moon having no atmosphere but what are the chances the footprint would get smashed? Probably a greater chance than NASA telling the truth.