OUR MISSION: Preserve Earth's Biodiversity by Creating a Lunar Seed Vault
Join the international coalition to design and create a backup plan for humanity...
Join the international coalition to design and create a backup plan for humanity...
Humanity is living through an era of rapid and profound change. With nearly 80 percent of Earth’s biodiversity already lost, the genetic foundation of our global ecosystem is under unprecedented threat. Existing terrestrial seed vaults, though essential, remain vulnerable to natural disasters, geopolitical instability, and environmental disruption.
Project Transcendence exists to meet this moment. Our purpose is to unite a global coalition of nations, institutions, and innovators to design, build, and deploy the first lunar seed vault—a secure, off-world repository capable of safeguarding Earth’s biological heritage for future generations.
Our mission is clear: establish a resilient, extraterrestrial archive of life on the Moon before 2035, ensuring that the story of Earth can always be continued, no matter what challenges arise. We hope you will engage with ideas and resources in what may be the most important community of effort ever undertaken to preserve our world's plant and food material.
2019 Mission Deck from USAF Air University
In 2018, following strategic discussions in Bonn, Germany between senior U.S. Air Force leaders and the leadership of the Global Crop Trust, Air University initiated Project Transcendence in response to a critical assessment: Earth’s seed vaults, including the world’s most protected repositories, remain fundamentally vulnerable to geopolitical conflict, environmental disaster, and long-term systemic risk.
The mission deck outlines the early conceptual framework for the project, emphasizing several core insights:
This 2019 deck captures the dawn of Project Transcendence—triggered by strategic insights in Bonn and grounded in urgent global realities. It represents the U.S. Air Force’s early vision to move from terrestrial-only seed preservation toward a multi-generational, off-world biological safeguard, beginning with a lunar seed vault designed to protect the genetic heritage of humankind.
We are looking for the world's leading minds and institutions to help create a new insurance policy for humanity on the Moon.
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COPYRIGHT © 2025 PROJECT TRANSCENDENCE — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Project Transcendence is an independent INTERNATIONAL initiative and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the United States Air Force or the U.S. Department of WAR. Any historical references to prior conceptual work originating within the USAF are for HISTORIC context only and do not imply sponsorship, approval, or participation by any governmental entity.