The Final Mission

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.

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

Lisa Westwood is cultural resources manager at ECORP Consulting, Inc. and a professional archaeologist.

Beth 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.