Impact & Legacy
Meaningful scientific contributions of the Islamic Golden Age to human understanding of the cosmos.
The Qamar Codex represents more than technological achievement—it offers a unique opportunity to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of Islamic astronomy to human understanding of the cosmos. By preserving these manuscripts on the lunar surface, we create both a lasting archive and a compelling educational story.
Areas of Impact
1 /
Educational Resources
High-quality digital archives will be made available to universities and schools, providing valuable primary source materials for courses in history of science, astronomy, and Islamic studies. These resources can help educators illustrate the international nature of scientific progress.
2 /
Youth Inspiration
The dramatic story of preserving Islamic astronomical knowledge on the Moon has the potential to inspire young people across the Arab and broader Muslim world to see themselves as inheritors of a proud scientific tradition, encouraging interest in STEM careers.
3 /
Scholarly Research
The digitization process will make rare manuscripts more accessible to researchers worldwide, potentially leading to new discoveries about medieval astronomical techniques and facilitating comparative studies of historical scientific methods.
4 /
Cultural Pride
The project can help raise awareness of Islamic contributions to astronomy and mathematics, contributing to a more complete understanding of scientific history and potentially fostering greater pride in Islamic intellectual heritage among Muslim communities.
5 /
Knowledge Preservation
Creating an enduring backup of these important manuscripts ensures their survival beyond the threats facing physical documents, including environmental degradation, political instability, and natural disasters.
6 /
Space Heritage
The mission demonstrates how space technology can serve cultural preservation goals, potentially inspiring similar projects and establishing precedent for protecting human knowledge beyond Earth.
7 /
International Collaboration
The global scope of manuscript locations necessitates international partnerships, fostering cooperation between institutions and potentially leading to ongoing collaborative research initiatives.
Educational & Inspirational Potential
This extraordinary lunar archive should last for hundreds of thousands, even millions of years on the lunar surface, thereby serving as an enduring symbol or scientific-cultural preservation. It may also inspire similar projects.
Primary Source Access
Digital manuscripts available for classroom use and research projects
STEM Inspiration
Young Muslims may feel greater connection to science and space exploration, potentially increasing interest in related fields
Historical Context
Demonstrates continuity of scientific inquiry across different cultures and eras
Cultural Connection
Students discover their cultural heritage includes major contributions to human knowledge of the cosmos
Long-term Value
The lunar environment offers unique preservation advantages: no atmosphere means no weathering, stable temperatures in shaded areas, and protection from terrestrial disasters. While we hope these manuscripts will remain safe in earthbound libraries, the lunar archive provides an insurance policy for future generations and a powerful symbol of the enduring value we place on this knowledge.
Short Term (2-5 years)
Successful digitization and lunar deployment creates media attention and educational opportunities, raising awareness of Islamic astronomical heritage.
Medium Term (5-15 years)
Digital archives become established educational resources, supporting research and curriculum development in relevant academic fields.
Long Term (15+ years)
The lunar archive serves as a symbol of cultural preservation and may inspire similar projects, while the manuscripts remain safely stored for future access.
A Goal with Lasting Value
The Qamar Codex seeks to ensure that important manuscripts are preserved, that their significance is far more widely understood, and that future generations will have access to this knowledge. And as an overarching goal, the positioning of this cultural and scientific cargo on the lunar surface should allow for its preservation for hundreds of thousands, even millions of years. Given that the human species has only existed for about 350,000 years, that would be quite an achievement.”
— Michael Benson
