What should we protect in space? Safeguarding planetary geological heritage in a new era of exploration
As space exploration enters a new phase, with an increasing number of missions targeting the Moon, Mars, and other planetary bodies, scientists are beginning to ask a new question: what should we protect beyond Earth?
In a recent commentary paper published in JGR Planets, Barbara De Toffoli, researcher at the Department of Geosciences at the University of Padova, highlights the urgent need to develop scientific tools and frameworks to identify and protect geological heritage on other planetary surfaces.
The concept, known as exogeoconservation, focuses on recognizing and safeguarding unique geological features beyond Earth—such as craters, stratigraphic formations, or other records of planetary history—that could be permanently altered by future exploration or resource exploitation.
Today, space exploration is accelerating rapidly. Missions reaching the surfaces of other planets and planetary bodies are becoming more frequent, and both public space agencies and private companies are increasingly exploring the potential use of extraterrestrial resources. While such developments open new opportunities for science and technology, they also raise important questions about the long-term preservation of planetary environments.
“On Earth, we have developed methods to identify and protect geological heritage,” says De Toffoli. “However, we still lack similar tools to recognize what should be preserved on other planetary bodies. Developing these approaches is essential if we want to explore space responsibly.”
The paper calls on the geoscience community to address this gap by developing methodologies to identify significant geological features beyond Earth and by contributing to future discussions on responsible exploration and planetary protection.
As humanity expands its presence in space, understanding how to balance exploration, resource use, and conservation will become an increasingly important scientific and societal challenge.
PRESS INFORMATION
De Toffoli, B. (2026). The new space race era: The exogeoheritage challenge and its conservation. Journal of Geophysical Research Planets
