Space Archaeology on Earth

This chapter examines terrestrial sites associated with space exploration as foundational components of space archaeology. It explores ancient astronomical traditions, launch complexes, testing facilities, training landscapes, and mission control centers as archaeological resources. Primary, secondary, and auxiliary sites are defined to illustrate how spaceflight activities created extensive cultural landscapes on Earth. The chapter emphasizes the importance of documenting these sites before they are altered or lost and demonstrates how terrestrial infrastructure anchors off-world artifacts to human history, reinforcing the idea that space archaeology begins on Earth.