Weather of Arabia - The idea of transporting a private American spacecraft carrying the ashes of many dead people to the surface of the moon angered the Navajo tribes, which follow the American Indians, as this tribe saw this step as representing a “desecration” of a site they consider “sacred” to the cultures of part of the indigenous population of the United States. .
Bow Nygren, chief of the Navajo Nation and one of the largest tribes in the United States, described the moon as “part of their spiritual heritage and an object of reverence and respect,” and noted its “sacred status in the cultures of many Native Americans.”
These criticisms came in a letter sent at the end of last December to the US Department of Transportation and the US Space Agency (NASA), in which Negrin requested that the launch of the vehicle scheduled for next month be postponed.
For its part, NASA confirmed that it is not directly responsible for the mission carried out by the private sector.
In statements to Joel Kearns, NASA's chief official, he stressed that he takes the tribe's concerns "seriously." At the same time, he noted that NASA has no control over the shipments received from special missions, especially with NASA moving towards developing a space economy that depends on companies. private sector.
The lander, called "Peregrine," is scheduled to launch next Monday from Florida on board a new rocket from the ULA industrial group, and its landing on the moon's surface is expected to occur on February 23.
Celestis confirmed that it will send "a symbolic portion of the DNA and cremated remains of 69 people" on board the lunar lander. The list of people whose remains will be transported, according to the company, includes "Star Trek" author Gene Roddenberry and science fiction author Arthur S. Clark.
Astrobotic explained that the cargo will not be placed on the surface of the moon, but rather will remain in the lander, stressing that it adheres to all “laws and rules related to commercial activities outside Earth’s orbit.”
Celestis stated in its statement that it considers that:
“No culture or religion should retain veto power over space missions.” The company stressed that this mission is not “a desecration, but rather a complete celebration.”
It seems that NASA is in a state of embarrassment due to the existence of a precedent in this matter, as in 1999, the space agency deliberately smashed a probe on the surface of the moon, and on board was the ashes of the famous geologist Eugene Shoemaker, in a mission that representatives of the Celestis company say it participated in implementing. .
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