Anthony French wrote an interesting piece in
The Space Review titled
"Preserving Our Space Heritage" that asks whether or not we are doing enough to hold onto the milestones of our entry into the space age. He notes:
UNESCO lists such recent developments as the Sydney Opera House (built
1973) as World Heritage Sites. Why not the Kennedy Space Center? Why not
a place from where six manned missions reached the Moon? Or Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, from where the Pioneer and Voyager missions
that left the solar system lifted off? Are footsteps on the Moon a
lesser achievement than the construction of an admittedly
architecturally-striking, but relatively standard, concert venue? At
least in Russia the authorities tout Soviet space achievements and the
associated museum-housed hardware with the respect it deserves, if not
the official recognition of its status.
I have visited and read about some of the Russian space museums and was more saddened by the condition of the facilities than uplifted by the material, but I understand Mr. French's point. We have some amazing collections from our space program in museums across the country, but the launch sites themselves are something else. Better preservation of these sites should be considered as well.
