Moon Rocks: Unveiling Their Global Histories and Technocultures

Project Description: Christopher Halm

Moon Rocks: Unveiling Their Global Histories and Technocultures

Introduction

On July 24, 1969, for the first time in history, a human mission successfully transported selected rock samples from a celestial body to Earth. This event of sampling the Moon not only initiated ongoing research programs and museum exhibitions but also laid the foundation for a compelling narrative that has yet to be explored. Lunar remnants have been meticulously analyzed by skilled technicians and scientists within esteemed institutes, they have been housed in national museums with a sacred-heroic aura, and still are distributed solemnly through the auspices of NASA. Moon rocks intricate political implications and rich cultural dimensions. As remarkable objects and pivotal artifacts in the museums and laboratories of the world they offer a captivating window into the global and cultural knowledge histories of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Research Questions

My second book project seeks to unravel the multifaceted historical, cultural, pedagogical, public and techno-scientific legacies inherent in past and potential future values of moon rocks. Drawing on core concepts and material-oriented trends within cultural and museum studies, as well as the history of science, technology, education, and related fields (taking inspiration from examples like Alberti and Bennet), this endeavor complements the existing discourse on space exploration and extends its narrative. Previous research mainly gravitates toward the dramatic aspects of space exploits, my research pivots to illuminate its enduring, less sensational aspects produced and reproduced through museum exhibitions and terrestrial laboratory work. In light of recent (inter-)national and commercial lunar and Mars missions (such as Artemis, Chang'e, Chandrayaan, and Space X as well as Blue Origin respectively) understanding the historical global technocultures of moon rocks emerges as crucial for deciphering the transformations of our current and future hierarchic encounters with nature, technologies, big business, and civilizational identities.

Hypotheses

Reflecting on the origins of lunar science, we can posit that moon rocks exhibited in museums and scrutinized in laboratories offered an escape from the tragedies of World War II. This circumstance potentially catalyzed the emergence of a global knowledge community united by both a collective yearning (Sehnsucht) for space exploration and the auratic exclusivity (Benjamin, te Heesen) of moon rocks. We can argue for a connection between entering a new world (the Moon)—epitomized by the astronauts' lunar footsteps—and leaving behind the specter of Holocaust trauma. Similarly, delving into the microcosm of mass spectrometry and radiometric dating could also have provided solace, not in spatial terms but in cosmic timescales juxtaposed against the temporal horrors of human history. Today, as we embark on a new era of space exploration, it is imperative to question whether we find ourselves in another instance of seeking refuge from a pressing global crisis, this time not war tragedies but the impending catastrophe of climate change.

Research Areas

To delve into the complexities of moon rocks' journey from sampling to current utilization, my study adopts a comprehensive approach encompassing various stages: (1a) the meticulous sampling, marking, mapping, packaging, and transportation of lunar samples; (1b) their cataloging, preservation, social valuation, and distribution; (2) the constant reorganization of museum exhibitions; (3) the rigorous chemical analyses and the digitization of experimental outcomes; (4) the formulation of hypotheses concerning planetary ages, time spans, and deep temporal contexts; and (5) the transformation of moon rocks and lunar soils into commodities and engineering materials, including applications in 3D printing. How did and does this development influence our appreciation, perception, and interaction with the Moon?

Periodization

Synthesizing existing scholarship on space history (i.e. Geppert), I postulate a chronological and thematic framework comprising four distinctive phases. The initial phase (1969–1976) encapsulates the early lunar missions and the subsequent public fascination. The second phase (1970s–1980s) unfolds with the global dissemination, geochemical examination, and prolonged exhibition of lunar samples, all set against the backdrop of Cold War dynamics. The third phase (1990s–2000s) witnesses the institutionalization of research programs, standardization of approaches, dwindling public enthusiasm, and the rise of collaborative efforts facilitated by information technology. The contemporary landscape, representing a fourth phase, embraces a resurgence driven by national pride and commercial pursuits, posing a reevaluation of success in terms of material studies.

Global Discourse

Central to the pursuits of various international communities seeking prestige, influence, and engagement, the exclusivity and likely auratic quality of moon rocks has mobilized resources across diverse domains—encompassing institutions, finances, education, technology, science, and media. The interconnectedness between lunar samples and political considerations significantly alters our self-image as a knowledge society and the resulting changes challenge fun-damental concepts of evidence related to established assumptions on the age of celestial bodies.

Values and Identities

The comprehensive interplay between moon rocks and global dynamics necessitates a meticulous examination of their shifting identities and inherited values. Evolving from geological finds to symbols of power, civilization, and international unity, moon rock objects exemplify how materiality, temporality, and symbolism interact. As they traverse over space and time, it is up to historians to discern our place in the universe and to anticipate possible ramifications of an unfolding new space age.

Methodological Approach & Engagement

The journey of moon rocks, from inception to contemporary utility, constitutes the core of my research. Through oral history interviews, cross-generational motivation analysis, and digital humanities techniques, including data mining and interaction with AI systems, my methods enable a comprehensive exploration of articles, conference proceedings, extensive datasets, and other digital content. Archival and library resources on both collection management and foreign, commercial, research, and education policies and schemes further deepen the understanding of moon rock's evolving global significance.

My research commenced at the Deutsches Museum Munich and extended to the Senckenberg Naturmuseum in Frankfurt. This start laid the foundation in my research on moon rock's technocultures and historical values. However, recognizing the holistic trajectory of this history, a global approach remains essential. Collaborating with diverse international institutes possessing moon rocks, I aim to weave a rich tapestry of transregional narratives with a specific focus on amplifying voices often underrepresented, particularly from the Global South. To facilitate this, I draw on a broad personal and institutional network and develop a web-based survey questionnaire that fosters an understanding that transcends traditional Western-centric viewpoints.

Epilogue: Navigating the New Space Age

How might a comprehension of the interplay between scientific exploration, cultural knowledge narratives, and global dynamics, as revealed through the history of moon rocks, guide us in facing the ethical, societal, educational, and environmental challenges of the new space age? What insights from the past ensure a responsible, transformative, and inclusive future of space exploration?

Referenced Sources

ALBERTI, Samuel J. M. (2009): Nature and Culture: Objects, Disciplines and the Manchester Museum, Manchester {Manchester University Press}.

BENJAMIN, Walter (1935/1980): Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit (Dritte Fassung), in: Walter Benjamin – Gesammelte Schriften I;2, ed. by Rolf Tiedemann & Hermann Schweppenhäuser, Frankfurt am Main {Suhrkamp}, S. 471-508.

BENNET, Jane (2010): Vibrant Matter. A Political Ecology of Things, Bd. John Hope Franklin Center Book, Durham/London {Duke University Press}.

GEPPERT, Alexander C. T. (Ed.) (22018): Imaging Outer Space: European Astroculture in the Twentieth Century, Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology, ed. by James Rodger Fleming & Roger D. Launius, European Astroculture 1, New York (US-NY)/Shanghai {Palgrave Macmillan}.

TE HEESEN, Anke (2013): Theorien des Museums zur Einführung, Hamburg {Junius}.