No, we're not making this up.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D) Maryland and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D) Texas have submitted legislation to create a National Historic Site comprised of the area and artifacts left behind from the Apollo 11 through 17 missions.

Before you think they're loony, consider this: both legislators are high-ranking members of the House Science Space and Technology Committee and Johnson is the panel's ranking member. They came up with this idea because of the increasing number of planned commercial landings on the moon in the not-so-distant future.

A number of private ventures are currently building spacecraft they intend to send to the moon for commercial missions and these legislators want to make sure what was left behind by the astronauts is preserved. The bill, HR 2617, would allow the government to accept donations and funding from interested parties and foreign nations to help preserve the area.

But it goes beyond just setting this area aside. The bill, according to The Hill, will also provide a sort of visitor center:

...provide visitor services and administrative facilities within reasonable proximity to the Historical Park."
The two representatives also introduced legislation to affirm NASA's commitment to a Mars mission and to reauthorize funding for space exploration for at least three more years.

 

More From 870 AM KFLD