The World Monuments Fund has included the Moon in the list of cultural heritage sites in danger of destruction, snob.ru reports with reference to The New York Times.

The growing popularity of space tourism and the increase in the number of research missions are alarming the fund’s experts. According to the president and CEO of the organization, Benedict de Montlaur, the safety of more than 90 important objects on the surface of the satellite is of particular concern. Among them is the famous Tranquility Base, where the Apollo 11 crew, led by Neil Armstrong, landed for the first time in human history.

The situation Is complicated by the lack of international legislation regulating activities on the Moon. Leading space powers, including the United States, Russia and China, have not yet concluded an agreement on the rules for using the lunar surface and other celestial bodies. This leaves their influence on the satellite virtually unlimited.

A separate concern Is the growing number of artifacts of human civilization on the surface of the Moon. However, representatives of the space industry do not share these concerns. “To say that the entire Moon needs protection from tourism and science is a bit radical,” said space lawyer Michelle Hanlon.

It Is noteworthy that the Moon has joined the list of threatened objects along with such terrestrial monuments as the ancient city of Machu Picchu in Peru, the eroded coast of Kenya, the Yemeni city of Taiz, the temple complexes of Cambodia and others.