US space-funeral company plans to launch lunar cemetery
AFP (via SpaceDaily.com)
A US funeral business that specializes in launching cremated human remains into Earth’s orbit has begun taking reservations for landing small capsules of ashes on the moon, announced the company’s founder.
“Celestis’ first general public lunar mission could occur as early as 2010 and reservations are now being taken,” said Charles M. Chafer, Celestis founder and president, in an email to AFP. “We can send up to 5000 individual capsules to the lunar surface.”
For transportation, Celestis has made deals with two other US private space companies, Odyssey Moon and Astrobotic Technology, which are currently working on making commercial flights to the moon.
Astrobiotic Press Release
30 October 2008
At a meeting of worldwide Moon exploration experts, Astrobotic Technology Inc. today unveiled its plans for a series of robotic expeditions to build a lunar data library.
“Astrobotic will robotically explore the Moon’s high-interest areas on a commercial basis, collecting information required to design future outposts and to answer scientific questions about the Moon and Earth,” said President David Gump. “Our data library also will point the way to utilizing lunar energy and mineral resources to lower the cost of exploration and eventually supply markets on Earth.”
Continue reading ‘Google Lunar X Prize Competitor Astrobiotic to Send Robot to Moon in May 2010′
Popular Science has an interesting DIY guide to how you - YES, YOU - can win the Google Lunar X Prize. It seems that all you need is a little bit of moxie, a rover that can survive extreme temperatures, a launcher, and…oh yes…somewhere between $20 to $100 million.
Simple, really. All too easy.
All kidding aside, it’s a really cool story that breaks down the major components that one needs succeed in winning the $20 million prize. There are quotes from Odyssey Moon CEO Bob Richards, Astrobiotic’s Red Whittaker, and other competitors.
Meanwhile, Space.com has a story on four additional teams that have joined the great race. The teams include Advaeros, out of Malaysia; JURBAN, which is focused teaching disadvantaged students to build robots; and STELLAR, a North Carolina group headed by Dick Dell. There is also a mystery team, which apparently has no connection to Scooby-Doo’s outfit, Mystery, Inc.
