Introduction: A Call for Lunar Isolation
The Moon’s surface holds many ironies: it is within humanity’s reach, yet still incredibly remote in terms of practical isolation. The idea of declaring Jules Verne crater on the Moon a modern Point Nemo—a place of ultimate remoteness analogous to Earth’s most isolated point—offers a provocative framework for protecting lunar science, heritage, and exploration from over-multiplication of missions and conflicting land use. This proposal doesn’t merely relabel a crater; it reframes how we think about stewardship as we push toward more sustainable, cooperative, and scientifically productive lunar activity.
Why Jules Verne Crater? A Named Landmark with Narrative Power
Jules Verne crater sits among lunar features that carry human stories. Naming and designating certain regions can influence international collaboration and policy. Choosing Jules Verne crater as a new Point Nemo would recognize its symbolic distance from Earth-based noise—an asset for uninterrupted scientific measurements, pristine mapping, and long-term monitoring. It also anchors a concrete policy objective: to preserve a zone for quiet, non-ruled exploration that prioritizes science, instrumentation, and international partnerships over quick commercial or national milestones.
What Would a Moon-bound Point Nemo Mean in Practice?
On Earth, Point Nemo sits in the South Pacific, equidistant from three continents, serving as a liminal space where radio and human traffic thin out. Translating that concept to the Moon requires careful, principled planning:
- Protecting scientific integrity: designate a zone around Jules Verne crater where lunar surface measurements—seismic, gravitational, volatile content—are shielded from routine landings and heavy traffic.
- Coordinated international policy: use a treaty-based or intergovernmental framework to manage land use, ensuring that missions respect the preservation zone and share data transparently.
- Heritage and preservation: document and safeguard features of scientific interest, while allowing observational facilities that do not contaminate or disturb the site.
- Long-term monitoring: install non-invasive infrastructure that can operate with minimal human footprint, enabling a baseline record for decades.
Balancing Ambition with Stewardship
Space exploration thrives on ambition, but ambition can collide with the need for stable, repeatable science. A lunar Point Nemo offers a compromise: it preserves space for independent, high-quality measurements while still enabling coordinated missions to proceed elsewhere on the Moon. The goal is not to deter exploration but to ensure it is done responsibly, with data sharing and clear accountability. The policy would be especially relevant as governments, private companies, and international consortia plan increasingly diverse missions—from mining prospects to commercial habitats and long-duration base camps.
Potential Benefits for Science and Policy
Adopting Jules Verne crater as a modern Point Nemo could yield several benefits:
- Enhanced data quality from a naturally quiet environment, free from the clutter of dense landings near a single site.
- A precedent for quiet zones that protect operational integrity for sensitive experiments and long-baseline observations.
- A platform for international collaboration, with shared governance mechanisms, ethical guidelines, and open data policies.
- Inspiration for public engagement with space governance, providing a tangible example of how the global community can balance exploration with preservation.
Conclusion: A Thoughtful Path Forward
Declaring Jules Verne crater a new Point Nemo invites us to reframe lunar exploration as a collaborative, sustainable enterprise. It acknowledges the value of isolation where data can be gathered with minimal interference while still advancing humanity’s knowledge and presence on the Moon. As nations and private actors expand their ambitions, adopting a governance approach that protects critical scientific zones could become a cornerstone of responsible space stewardship.
