When our loved ones pass, we have different choices when it comes to putting them to rest. Some opt for burials, some go for cremations so the ashes can be spread or kept. We now have another bizarre yet cool option, and that's to send remains to the Moon.
A Space Memorial
In the last couple of years, we have seen space travel advance faster than we anticipated, especially SpaceX. As it turns out, other space companies are gearing up for other missions. Aside from sending payloads and scientific equipment, Astrobotics will be sending DNA to the moon.
The Peregrine lunar lander will launch from Cape Canaveral carrying many peculiar items, including a physical bitcoin, small robots from Mexico, and parts of cremated remains of over 200 people on board.
Asytrobotics is only carrying the items on its lunar lander. There are actually different companies that arranged for this to be possible. If you're interested in sending someone's ashes to the moon, you can avail the services of either Celestis or Elysium Space.
You'll have to pony up a large amount for such a legendary service, of course. For a moon burial, it will cost you $12,500 for Celestis and $11,950 for Elysium Space, as reported by Gizmodo. If you're worried about a failed launch, the companies will be keeping part of the remains, just in case.
When you do decide to send your loved one's remains to the moon, they will be buried alongside well-known individuals as parts of their DNA will be aboard the lunar lander. That reportedly includes George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy.
The Peregrine lunar lander will be launched on top of the United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket. If successful, it will be the first commercial lunar lander to reach the moon as part of an initiative funded by NASA.
Why This is a Good Sign
It's been a few decades since the last time man landed on the moon. Space agencies took a while before they developed the kind of technology that can take humans back there, and that time is finally drawing near.
If you're paying attention, you can tell that we already have the kind of technology that makes missions like the Apollo 11 easier. One indication is that space agencies and other companies now have the resources to send non-space-related payloads like cremated remains.
The Artemis 2 is set to launch this November 2024, which will be followed by Artemis 3 which is a crewed moon landing mission for 2025. When all goes to plan, we will finally see a long-awaited return in one or two years.
According to NASA, the mission will last for four days as a crew of four will perform a lunar flyby. Artemis 2 will serve as an important step to make sure that the next moon landing will be successful, as it confirms that the spacecraft's systems can function as designed in deep space.
