• The Navajo Nation has requested NASA to delay a private moon mission because it plans to carry human remains to the lunar surface, which they consider a desecration of a sacred celestial body.
• NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program is partnering with private companies like Astrobotic to send payloads to the moon, but claims it has no oversight over additional commercial payloads.
• The mission includes carrying the cremated remains of notable individuals, including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, as well as strands of hair from three U.S. presidents.
• Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren contends that NASA previously committed to consulting with tribal leaders before authorizing missions carrying human remains to the moon, a promise dating back to 1998.
• Celestis CEO Charles M. Chafer defends the company's memorial spaceflights to the moon, arguing that no single religion should dictate space missions and that scattering ashes on the moon should not be viewed as inappropriate.
Not BS, unless you think paying $12,000 to launch a miniscule amount of your family member's ashes into space is ludicrous. I can personally tell you this is a real thing, although not all the ashes are to be buried on the moon. Some are to be released into space in small capsules prior to the moon encounter.
Lol....this is weird:
• The Navajo Nation has requested NASA to delay a private moon mission because it plans to carry human remains to the lunar surface, which they consider a desecration of a sacred celestial body.
• NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program is partnering with private companies like Astrobotic to send payloads to the moon, but claims it has no oversight over additional commercial payloads.
• The mission includes carrying the cremated remains of notable individuals, including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, as well as strands of hair from three U.S. presidents.
• Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren contends that NASA previously committed to consulting with tribal leaders before authorizing missions carrying human remains to the moon, a promise dating back to 1998.
• Celestis CEO Charles M. Chafer defends the company's memorial spaceflights to the moon, arguing that no single religion should dictate space missions and that scattering ashes on the moon should not be viewed as inappropriate.
Not BS, unless you think paying $12,000 to launch a miniscule amount of your family member's ashes into space is ludicrous. I can personally tell you this is a real thing, although not all the ashes are to be buried on the moon. Some are to be released into space in small capsules prior to the moon encounter.