by Demand:
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 “Star Trek” cast members.
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Context:
On January 8, 2024, a rocket was launched as part of the Astrobotic Hawk One Mission carrying 62 titanium capsules filled with human DNA and cremated remains to be deposited on the moon. A further 268 capsules were sent into deep space. The payload included hair samples of former presidents George Washington, John F. Kennedy, and Dwight D. Eisenhower that were contributed by an anonymous donor. After the launch, a leak occurred in the propulsion system for the spacecraft, which raised doubts that it would be able to reach its lunar destination.
On January 7, 2024, a post was shared on Reddit claiming that a rocket was set to release “the remains of 330 people, including George Washington, JFK and ‘Star Trek’ thrown into space.” The same demand was spread on other social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
The posts referred to a New York Post article published on January 6, 2024, with the title “Rocket set to release remains of 330 people, including George Washington, JFK and ‘Star Trek’ thrown in space: ‘Permanent memorial. ‘” It read:
It is their final frontier.
After an eight-month delay, a rocket will launch into deep space the remains of 330 people from all walks of life – including George Washington and “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry.
Flight Flight is the initiative of the company Celestis Inc. based in Texas is set to launch at 2:18 a.m. Monday from Cape Canaveral in Florida, marking the first time a commercial company will drop human remains on the moon and beyond.
The first two-stage Vulcan Centaur rocket will drop 62 of the 1/4- and 1/2-inch-long titanium capsules filled with DNA or cremated remains onto the moon, in a 6-foot-tall, 8-foot-wide. a device called the Peregrine Lunar Lander.
It will be a “lasting memory.”
The article continued, pointing out that “an anonymous donor provided hair samples from former Presidents Washington, John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
The spacecraft will then take the remaining 268 capsules over 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 is the first commercial deep space mission ever – and I hope it will be the first of many, many more over the centuries ahead,” Chafer said.
The heavenly payload will be filled with luminaries.
To verify the claim, we first searched for the company Celestis and found that it described itself on its official website as “the pioneer and iconic global leader in providing spaceflight memorabilia.”
Through 17 missions since 1997, Celestis has helped families around the world commemorate the lives of their departed loved ones.
Our experienced team – founded and led by internationally recognized entrepreneur Charles M. Chafer – includes aerospace professionals, dedicated client services and customer support staff, and space launch event management experts. Our directors and advisors include the 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.
In addition, the website said that a “Celestis spacecraft carrying cremated remains or DNA on a permanent celestial journey” would cost about $13,000.
(www.celestis.com)
We also received reports from The Associated Press (AP) which confirmed that on January 8, 2024, a rocket was set to launch into space carrying the ashes and DNA of “Star Trek” cast members.
AP published a video on the matter and its report read (emphasis ours):
“Star Trek” stars and fans are gathering in Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the overnight 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. He is also carrying the ashes of “Star Trek” cast members James Doohan, DeForest Kelley and Nichelle Nichols, and strands of hair from three US presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and George Washington.
Astrobotic Technology led the project, Peregrine Mission One, which was the first commercial American lunar mission. NASA’s involvement was significant, with the agency sending its scientific payloads as part of the mission. Importantly, the mission was not without controversy. Indigenous groups, including the Navajo Nation and Maori leaders, have voiced strong objections to the mission. Their concerns focused mainly on the use of the moon for human burials, as the moon has a secure place in their traditions.
Despite these objections, the Peregrine Falcon mission went ahead, although it was technically blocked soon after launch. The spacecraft experienced a propulsion problem after it separated from the launch vehicle, a Vulcan Centaur rocket. This anomaly raised concerns about the success of the mission and the fate of the payloads on board. As of this writing, the spacecraft’s ability to make a lunar landing was in doubt.
All in all, on January 8, 2024, a rocket was indeed launched that was destined to carry 62 titanium capsules filled with DNA or cremated remains to the moon. The other 268 capsules were to be launched into deep space. However, the mission’s moon landing was in doubt due to a technical problem soon after launch.
Sources:
Archive, View Author, and Get Author RSS Feed. Rocket Launches Remains of Presidents, “Star Trek” Cast into Deep Space. 6 January 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/01/06/news/rocket-will-release-remains-of-presidents-star-trek-cast-into-deep-space/ .
Astrobotic Falcon One Mission – NASA. 29 Nov. 2023, https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/clps/astrobotic-peregrine-mission-one/.
Fisher, Kristin. “Navajo Nation Objection to Landing Human Remains on Moon Prompts Last-Minute White House Meeting.” CNN5 January 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 Moon Burials.” Te Ao Māori News, https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/01/08/it-is-ignorant-and-arrogant-maramataka-expert-opposes-moon-burials/ . Accessed 9 January 2024.
Payload Assessments Continue for NASA Science Aboard the Falcon One Mission – Artemis. 8 January 2024, https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2024/01/08/payload-assessments-continue-for-nasa-science-aboard-peregrine-mission-one/.
“Peregrine Lunar Lander | Astrobotic Technology.” Constellation, https://www.astrobotic.com/lunar-delivery/landers/peregrine-lander/. Accessed 9 January 2024.
Roulette, Joey. “Moon Lander Mission Threats After Successful Launch of Vulcan Rocket.” Reuters8 January 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’ Cast Members and Fans Are Being Sent into Space. apnews.com, https://apnews.com/video/florida-aerospace-technology-spacecraft-dawn-amore-charles-chafer-ebdb7d32c8d44b54bf3144e31243ef8b. Accessed 8 January 2024.
Video: Navajo Nation Calls for Moon Mission Delay over Plan to Bury Human Remains | CNN Business. 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 8 January 2024.
