by Say:
In January 2024, a rocket was launched into space carrying the remains or DNA samples of 330 people, including George Washington, John F. Kennedy and members of the cast of “Star Trek.”
Classification:
Context:
On January 8, 2024, a rocket was launched as part of Astrobotic’s Peregrine One Mission carrying 62 titanium capsules filled with human DNA and cremated remains to be deposited on the moon. Another 268 capsules were sent into deep space. The payload included hair samples from former presidents George Washington, John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower contributed by an anonymous donor. After launch, the spacecraft experienced a leak in its propulsion system, raising doubts that it could reach its lunar destination.
On January 7, 2024, a post was shared on Reddit stating that a rocket was intended to “release the remains of 330 people including George Washington, JFK and ‘Star Trek’ thrown into space.” The same claim was also spread on other social media platforms such as x (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
The posts referenced a New York Post article published on January 6, 2024, with the title “Rocket ready to release remains of 330 people, including George Washington, JFK and ‘Star Trek’ thrown into space: ‘Monument permanent’. ‘” It said:
It is your last frontier.
After an eight-month delay, a rocket will finally release the remains of 330 people from all walks of life into deep space, including George Washington and “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry.
Texas-based Celestis Inc.’s inaugural Enterprise flight is scheduled to take off at 2:18 a.m. Monday from Cape Canaveral in Florida, marking the first time a commercial company will release human remains on the Moon. and beyond.
The two-stage Vulcan Centaur rocket will first launch 62 1/4- and 1/2-inch-long titanium capsules filled with DNA or cremated remains to the Moon, into a space 6 feet high and 8 feet wide. device called Peregrine Lunar Lander.
It will become a “permanent monument.”
The article went on to report that “an anonymous donor provided hair samples from former Presidents Washington, John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
The spacecraft will then carry the remaining 268 capsules more than 185 million miles into deep space, where they will “orbit the sun forever,” said Celestis CEO and co-founder Charles Chafer.
“I’ve had many firsts in my career, but this will be the first commercial deep space mission ever conducted, and hopefully it will be the first of many, many more in the centuries to come,” Chafer said.
The celestial payload will be filled with luminaries.
To verify the claim, we first looked up the company Celestis and discovered that on its official website it described itself as “the pioneer and iconic global leader in offering commemorative space flights.”
Through 17 missions since 1997, Celestis has helped families around the world commemorate the lives of their deceased loved ones.
Our experienced team, co-founded and led by world-renowned entrepreneur Charles M. Chafer, includes aerospace professionals, dedicated customer services and customer support staff, and space launch event management experts. Our directors and advisors include a retired director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center who led more than 50 space shuttle launches, retired NASA astronauts, and pioneers of the commercial space age.
What’s more, the website claimed that “sending the Celestis spacecraft carrying cremated remains or DNA on a permanent celestial journey” would cost about $13,000.
(www.celestis.com)
We also found reports from The Associated Press (AP) confirming that on January 8, 2024, a rocket would be launched into space with the ashes and DNA of the “Star Trek” cast members.
AP published a video on the subject and its description reads (emphasis added):
“Star Trek” stars and fans are gathering at Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the nighttime launch of a new rocket. The rocket will carry the ashes and DNA of 70 people, including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, into space. It also carries the ashes of “Star Trek” cast members James Doohan, DeForest Kelley and Nichelle Nichols, and Locks of hair from three US presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and George Washington.
The project, Peregrine Mission One, was led by Astrobotic Technology and was the first American commercial lunar landing mission. NASA’s participation was notable, as the agency sent its scientific payloads as part of the mission. It is important to note that the mission was not without controversy. Indigenous groups, including the Navajo Nation and Maori leaders, have expressed strong objections to the mission. Their concerns focused primarily on the use of the moon for human burials, as the moon holds a revered place in their traditions.
Despite these objections, the Peregrine mission proceeded, albeit with a technical setback shortly after launch. The spacecraft experienced a propulsion problem after separating from the launch vehicle, a Vulcan Centaur rocket. This anomaly raised concerns about the success of the mission and the fate of the cargo on board. At the time of this writing, the spacecraft’s ability to carry out a moon landing was in doubt.
In total, on January 8, 2024, a rocket was actually launched to drop 62 titanium capsules full of DNA or cremated remains on the Moon. The remaining 268 capsules were to be sent into deep space. However, the mission’s lunar landing was in doubt due to a technical problem shortly after launch.
Sources:
Archive, view author and get author RSS feed. Rocket will release remains of presidents and “Star Trek” launched into deep space. January 6, 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/01/06/news/rocket-will-release-remains-of-presidents-star-trek-cast-into-deep-space/.
Astrobotic Pilgrim Mission One – NASA. November 29, 2023, https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/clps/astrobotic-peregrine-mission-one/.
Fisherman, Cristina. “Navajo Nation’s Objection to Landing Human Remains on Moon Sparks Last-Minute White House Meeting”. cnnJanuary 5, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/world/peregrine-moon-mission-navajo-nation-objection-human-remains-scn/index.html.
“‘Ignorant and arrogant’: Maramataka expert opposes lunar burials”. Te Ao Maori News, https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/01/08/it-is-ignorant-and-arrogant-maramataka-expert-opposes-moon-burials/. Accessed January 9, 2024.
Payload evaluations continue for NASA science aboard the Peregrine One – Artemis Mission. January 8, 2024, https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2024/01/08/payload-assessments-continue-for-nasa-science-aboard-peregrine-mission-one/.
“Pilgrim Lunar Lander | Astrobotic technology. astrobotic, https://www.astrobotic.com/lunar-delivery/landers/peregrine-lander/. Accessed January 9, 2024.
Roulette, Joey. “Lunar lander issue threatens mission after Vulcan rocket makes successful debut”. ReutersJanuary 8, 2024. www.reuters.comhttps://www.reuters.com/technology/space/vulcan-rocket-set-debut-launch-with-first-us-moon-lander-decades-2024-01-08/.
Ashes and DNA of ‘Star Trek’ fans and cast members are being sent into space. apnews.com, https://apnews.com/video/florida-aerospace-technology-spacecraft-dawn-amore-charles-chafer-ebdb7d32c8d44b54bf3144e31243ef8b. Accessed January 8, 2024.
Video: The Navajo Nation asks to delay the mission to the Moon due to the plan to bury human remains | Business CNN. 2024. edition.cnn.comhttps://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2024/01/06/navajo-nation-objection-to-land-human-remains-on-moon-blackwell-foa-vpx.cnn.
—. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4hFP5c-jTQ. Accessed January 8, 2024.
