Peregrine Lunar Lander has officially confirmed that the DNA of three former U.S. Presidents and the ashes of 200 renowned individuals will not reach the Moon.
The Peregrine lander, owned by the private company Astrobotic Technology, was launched aboard a Vulcan rocket on January 8, as part of the “Celestis Voyager” memorial flight.
According to Astrobotic Technology, the Peregrine lander will become a “drifting grave.”
Onboard Peregrine are DNA samples from three former U.S. Presidents: George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy.
Additionally, the ashes of over 200 individuals are included, featuring many notable figures such as actors Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, and DeForest Kelley from the television series Star Trek.
Also on board are the remains of science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke; Gene Roddenberry – the creator of Star Trek; and Roddenberry’s wife – Majel Barrett, among others.
Furthermore, there is a list of tens of thousands of people worldwide who registered to send their names along with the lunar mission. This is part of the “Send Your Name with VIPER” campaign (the lunar exploration robot on the Peregrine lander) initiated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Unfortunately, the lunar landing portion of the Peregrine mission has been canceled. Astrobotic stated that they will attempt to maintain power for Peregrine to provide data for future missions.
According to Livescience, the research team indicated that there are still about 35 hours of propulsion fuel available to control the craft. However, once the power is depleted, it will become a “drifting grave.”
The goal of the Peregrine lander is to become the first privately-owned spacecraft to achieve a controlled landing on the Moon. The lander is equipped with instruments to measure conditions on the lunar surface.
These instruments will measure radiation levels, surface ice, and magnetic fields to collect data about lunar resources and potential hazards for human habitation.
Controversy Over Sending Human Ashes to the Moon The inclusion of human ashes on the lunar lander has sparked considerable controversy. Prior to the Peregrine spacecraft’s flight, the leader of the Navajo Nation – a semi-autonomous territory of Native Americans – Mr. Buu Nygren wrote an open letter to NASA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), arguing that sending human ashes to the Moon would be “equivalent to desecration,” as for some tribes, the Moon is a sacred and inviolable place. |
