26/07/2025
When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the Moon in 1969 and uttered the famous words, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind,” he left behind more than just a mark in human history. He also left a physical footprint — which remains visible even to this day.
The Moon has no atmosphere, wind, or rain to erode or wash away these marks. Its surface is covered in a fine, dry dust known as lunar regolith, and with gravity only about one-sixth of Earth’s, these footprints remain remarkably well-preserved even after decades.
The footprints from the Apollo 11 mission, along with those from other astronauts who visited the Moon, can still be seen today thanks to modern satellite technology. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has captured high-resolution images of the landing sites, clearly showing the footprints, scientific instruments left behind, and even the paths traced by lunar rovers.
These silent imprints stand as enduring evidence of humanity’s first steps on another celestial body. In the absence of weather or tectonic activity, scientists estimate that these traces may remain intact for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years.