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The New York Times described it as “one small step for preservation and one giant leap of logic”. California’s historical commission has voted to protect two small urine collection devices, four space-sickness bags and dozens of other pieces of detritus, all currently residing nearly a quarter of a million miles from the state, in the moon.
Saying it wanted to raise awareness of the state’s contribution to the Apollo II moon mission, the commission voted unanimously to designate the trash as “protected resource”. M W Donaldson, the state historic preservation officer, said: “Californian companies worked on the Apollo II mission.
Much of their handiwork has historical value.”
The landmark mission wasn’t exactly tidy. Worried about the weight of their landing capsule, the harried lunar explorers left behind tons of trash, including several receptacles meant for bodily waste.
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