Expand / Jessica Watkins engaged in her work aboard the ISS (credit: NASA)
“Archaeology, at its core, offers a unique lens through which to examine material artifacts as indicators of how humans interact with their surroundings and each other,” states Justin Walsh, an archaeologist from Chapman University who spearheaded the inaugural archaeological investigation conducted off Earth aboard the International Space Station.
The objective behind Walsh and his team was to explore, document, and safeguard the legacy of astronaut culture within one of humanity’s earliest enduring habitats beyond our planet. “There’s a common belief that astronauts are superhuman – exceptionally gifted and meticulously trained individuals. What we discovered is quite different; they are ordinary people yearning for the familiar comforts of home,” observes Walsh.
The Significance of Everyday Objects in Space
“Back in 2008, during an archaeology course I was teaching, one student posed an intriguing question: ‘Is there any heritage associated with items found in space?’ At that moment, it dawned on me that this hadn’t crossed my mind before; indeed, it is heritage,” recalls Walsh. “Take Tranquility Base as an example—it represents an archaeological site where you could not only trace Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s specific actions but also gain insights into the technological advancements and socio-political context surrounding the society that manufactured this equipment for lunar exploration.”
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