The footprints astronauts left on the Moon could last for millions of years.

The Moon has no atmosphere, no wind, and no liquid water, which means none of the everyday erosion processes that wear away footprints on Earth exist there. The boot prints left by Apollo astronauts in the lunar dust are essentially still sitting exactly where they were pressed in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Nothing lasts forever, though. Over long timescales, the lunar surface is slowly reshaped by micrometeorite impacts and the constant, gentle sandblasting of charged particles from the solar wind. Scientists estimate these processes are slow enough that the footprints, rover tracks, and equipment left behind could remain recognizable for millions of years.