Lisa Westwood – författare

“Explore[s] the archaeological perspective of preserving sites related to the Project Apollo and moon missions. . . . thoroughly covers the details of the lunar missions and describes how many key landmarks, such as launch pads and other facilities, may no longer exist because of damage and neglect.”—Choice"An excellent overview of artifacts and sites in both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial environments."--P. J. Capelotti, author of The Human Archaeology of Space"Artfully blends archaeology and historic preservation into a history of the Cold War space race. A compelling argument for preserving America''s twentieth-century space heritage."--Todd A. Hanson, author of The Archaeology of the Cold War

The world will always remember Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin for their first steps on the moon, yet few today hold in respect the sites that made these and other astronauts'' journeys possible. Across the American landscape and on the lunar surface, many facilities and landing sites linked to the Apollo program remain unprotected. Some have already crumbled to ruins--silent and abandoned. The Final Mission explores these key locations, reframes the footprints and items left on the moon as cultural resources, and calls for the urgent preservation of this space heritage.

Beginning with the initiation of the space race, the authors trace the history of research, training, and manufacturing centers that contributed to lunar exploration. From the early rocket test stands of Robert H. Goddard, to astronaut instruction at Meteor Crater, to human and primate experiments at Holloman Air Force Base, innumerable places proved critical to developing the equipment for exploring space, surviving the journey, and returning to Earth safely. Despite their significance to the history of human spaceflight, many landmarks face the threat of damage or destruction. Most alarming is that the rapid advancement of technology renders stations obsolete long before they are deemed worthy of preservation. Moreover, the lack of precedence for protecting off-planet artifacts poses a unique challenge for space archaeology. While NASA''s 2011 recommendations for spacefarers suggest avoiding close proximity to this cultural landscape, the authors advocate stronger routes of preservation and present models for safeguarding space history--both on Earth''s surface and beyond.

Lisa Westwood is director of cultural resources at ECORP Consulting, Inc., and a professional archaeologist. Beth Laura O’Leary, professor emerita of anthropology at New Mexico State University, is coeditor of Handbook of Space Engineering, Archaeology, and Heritage. Milford Wayne Donaldson is president of the firm Architect Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA. He is chairman of the national Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the former state historic preservation officer for the state of California.

The world will always remember Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin for their first steps on the moon, yet few today hold in respect the sites that made these and other astronauts'' journeys possible. Across the American landscape and on the lunar surface, many facilities and landing sites linked to the Apollo program remain unprotected. Some have already crumbled to ruins--silent and abandoned. The Final Mission explores these key locations, reframes the footprints and items left on the moon as cultural resources, and calls for the urgent preservation of this space heritage.Beginning with the initiation of the space race, the authors trace the history of research, training, and manufacturing centers that contributed to lunar exploration. From the early rocket test stands of Robert H. Goddard, to astronaut instruction at Meteor Crater, to human and primate experiments at Holloman Air Force Base, innumerable places proved critical to developing the equipment for exploring space, surviving the journey, and returning to Earth safely. Despite their significance to the history of human spaceflight, many landmarks face the threat of damage or destruction. Most alarming is that the rapid advancement of technology renders stations obsolete long before they are deemed worthy of preservation. Moreover, the lack of precedence for protecting off-planet artifacts poses a unique challenge for space archaeology. While NASA''s 2011 recommendations for spacefarers suggest avoiding close proximity to this cultural landscape, the authors advocate stronger routes of preservation and present models for safeguarding space history--both on Earth''s surface and beyond.

The world will always remember Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin for their first steps on the moon, yet few today hold in respect the sites that made these and other astronauts' journeys possible. Across the American landscape and on the lunar surface, many facilities and landing sites linked to the Apollo program remain unprotected. Some have already crumbled to ruins-silent and abandoned. The Final Mission explores these key locations, reframes the footprints and items left on the moon as cultural resources, and calls for the urgent preservation of this space heritage.Beginning with the initiation of the space race, the authors trace the history of research, training, and manufacturing centers that contributed to lunar exploration. From the early rocket test stands of Robert H. Goddard, to astronaut instruction at Meteor Crater, to human and primate experiments at Holloman Air Force Base, innumerable places proved critical to developing the equipment for exploring space, surviving the journey, and returning to Earth safely. Despite their significance to the history of human spaceflight, many landmarks face the threat of damage or destruction. Most alarming is that the rapid advancement of technology renders stations obsolete long before they are deemed worthy of preservation. Moreover, the lack of precedence for protecting off-planet artifacts poses a unique challenge for space archaeology. While NASA's 2011 recommendations for spacefarers suggest avoiding close proximity to this cultural landscape, the authors advocate stronger routes of preservation and present models for safeguarding space history-both on Earth's surface and beyond.

An engaging, accessible account of humanity’s heritage beyond EarthSpace exploration has produced a rich material record that forms part of our cultural heritage. From abandoned launch sites and decommissioned satellites to lunar landing sites and the International Space Station, these traces reveal the story of humanity’s ventures beyond Earth.An Introduction to Space Archaeology is the first textbook to offer a comprehensive, student-friendly introduction to this emerging discipline. By applying archaeological methods to a wide range of historic space activities, author Lisa Westwood situates space exploration within the broader framework of human history to help students understand the cultural dimensions of humankind's off-world legacy.Written with an engaging style and clear pedagogical structure, the book is designed to support students from diverse academic backgrounds, including archaeology, history, anthropology, planetary science, and aerospace studies. Each chapter combines historical context with archaeological analysis, complemented by case studies, summaries, key terms, and study questions to reinforce learning and spark critical thinking. Throughout the book, Westwood addresses pressing issues such as orbital debris, site preservation, and ethical stewardship to highlight the urgency of preserving humanity’s legacy off Earth for future generations.Encouraging students to actively engage with one of the newest and most exciting frontiers in archaeology, An Introduction to Space Archaeology: Presents space exploration as both a technological achievement and a cultural milestone.Integrates archaeology method and theory with space history, planetary science, and aerospace studies in an interdisciplinary frameworkBridges traditional archaeological methods with modern concerns about technology, heritage, and international policySupports both introductory and advanced discussions of archaeology, history, and cultural resource managementProvides extensive instructor resources, including customizable lecture slides and quiz banksAn Introduction to Space Archaeology is the perfect textbook for upper-level high school and undergraduate courses in archaeology, history, anthropology, planetary science, and aerospace studies. It is well-suited for courses such as Cultural Resources Management, Archaeology of the 20th Century, Earth and Planetary Science, and Space Law.'A giant leap in the field of space archaeology and heritage! Westwood has done an excellent job introducting Aerospace heritage to students and broadening the accessibility of its scholars. It reflects her expertise in the historic context of the human movement into space and deep commitment to its preservation'– Beth Laura O'Leary, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, New Mexico State University'A masterful contribution that bridges archaeology and planetary science, offering a clear conceptual and methodological framework for identifying, interpreting, and studying archaeological signatures distributed across the Solar System. This book not only introduces a new generation of students to space archaeology but also challenges scholars across disciplines to reconsider how and, most importantly, why we study humanity's material footprint.'– Justin Holcomb, Assistant Research Professor, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Assistant Director, Odyssey Archaeological Research Program'The archaeology of human activity in space is an exciting new field, and Lisa Westwood has been there from the beginning. There is nobody better to introduce the key concepts of space archaeology, grounded in traditional archaeological and historic preservation practices. This book will grab students' attention and show them how it's possible to think beyond disciplinary boundaries and ask new questions.'– Justin Walsh, Professor of Art History, Archaeology, and Space Studies, Chapman University

An engaging, accessible account of humanity s heritage beyond Earth Space exploration has produced a rich material record that forms part of our cultural heritage. From abandoned launch sites and decommissioned satellites to lunar landing sites and the International Space Station, these traces reveal the story of humanity s ventures beyond Earth. An Introduction to Space Archaeology is the first textbook to offer a comprehensive, student-friendly introduction to this emerging discipline. By applying archaeological methods to a wide range of historic space activities, author Lisa Westwood situates space exploration within the broader framework of human history to help students understand the cultural dimensions of humankind's off-world legacy. Written with an engaging style and clear pedagogical structure, the book is designed to support students from diverse academic backgrounds, including archaeology, history, anthropology, planetary science, and aerospace studies. Each chapter combines historical context with archaeological analysis, complemented by case studies, summaries, key terms, and study questions to reinforce learning and spark critical thinking. Throughout the book, Westwood addresses pressing issues such as orbital debris, site preservation, and ethical stewardship to highlight the urgency of preserving humanity s legacy off Earth for future generations. Encouraging students to actively engage with one of the newest and most exciting frontiers in archaeology, An Introduction to Space Archaeology: Presents space exploration as both a technological achievement and a cultural milestone. Integrates archaeology method and theory with space history, planetary science, and aerospace studies in an interdisciplinary framework Bridges traditional archaeological methods with modern concerns about technology, heritage, and international policy Supports both introductory and advanced discussions of archaeology, history, and cultural resource management Provides extensive instructor resources, including customizable lecture slides and quiz banks An Introduction to Space Archaeology is the perfect textbook for upper-level high school and undergraduate courses in archaeology, history, anthropology, planetary science, and aerospace studies. It is well-suited for courses such as Cultural Resources Management, Archaeology of the 20th Century, Earth and Planetary Science, and Space Law. 'A giant leap in the field of space archaeology and heritage! Westwood has done an excellent job introducting Aerospace heritage to students and broadening the accessibility of its scholars. It reflects her expertise in the historic context of the human movement into space and deep commitment to its preservation' Beth Laura O'Leary, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, New Mexico State University'A masterful contribution that bridges archaeology and planetary science, offering a clear conceptual and methodological framework for identifying, interpreting, and studying archaeological signatures distributed across the Solar System. This book not only introduces a new generation of students to space archaeology but also challenges scholars across disciplines to reconsider how and, most importantly, why we study humanity's material footprint.' Justin Holcomb, Assistant Research Professor, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Assistant Director, Odyssey Archaeological Research Program'The archaeology of human activity in space is an exciting new field, and Lisa Westwood has been there from the beginning. There is nobody better to introduce the key concepts of space archaeology, grounded in traditional archaeological and historic preservation practices. This book will grab students' attention and show them how it's possible to think beyond disciplinary boundaries and ask new questions.' Justin Walsh, Professor of Art History, Archaeology, and Space Studies, Chapman University