Early editions of the Astrolab FLIP rover (Image courtesy of Astrolab)
INTRODUCTION
LUNAR SANCTUARY 00001establishes the first nature sanctuary and first landform artwork on the Moon.
Scheduled to land in 2026, the project uses the wheel imprints of the Astrolab FLIP rover to draw a circular boundary at the lunar South Pole. This project merges art, planetary stewardship, and historic cultural opportunity, positioning sponsors as foundational patrons of off-Earth culture.
PROCESS
PHASE I: Launched as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, the Astrolab FLIP rover will land on the Lunar surface and begin to navigate to a hibernation zone within the Moon’s Nobile Crater region.
PHASE II: Once at the hibernation zone, the rover will begin to “draw” a circle using the imprints of its wheels to demarcate the first off-Earth nature sanctuary, and the first landform art in space.
PHASE III: Finally, the rover will complete a contiguous circle and begin to broadcast an internationally-recognized beacon, instructing other spacecraft and lunar vehicles to avoid disrupting the zone around the rover.
