SPACE — When the American Space Agency, NASA attempted to return to the Moon for the first time in 50 years, on January 8 2024, major controversy occurred. The Native American Navajo people attempted to stop the mission’s launch due to an unusual inclusion on the flight.
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander not only carried scientific instruments from NASA and various other countries, but also ashes, DNA and other human remains. The peregrine that was eventually nicknamed ‘the cursed one’ never touched the moon; burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere 10 days after its launch.
Controversy and mission failures raise big questions about how the United States government manages its space missions. Because, as space exploration becomes increasingly privatized and commercialized, anyone can send their favorite items to the moon.
UNSW Sydney Professor of Communication Sciences and Astrobiology Carol Oliver said all commercial payloads launched from US territory required approval. However, the approval process currently only covers safety, national security and foreign policy.
Also read: First funeral on the moon fails, how much does it cost to send human remains?
“Peregrine, if successful, would mark the first commercial burial on the moon. This is uncharted territory as other worlds are within reach, although this (controversy) is not the first time it has arisen,” Oliver told Live Science.
20 years ago, the Navajo nation protested loudly when NASA brought some of Eugene Shoemaker’s ashes to the Moon with the Lunar Prospector probe. NASA then promised to consult with the Navajo if there were any such unusual missions in the future.
“Like many other native cultures, the Navajo Nation considers the Moon sacred and opposes its use as a memorial site (monuments, cemeteries, garbage dumps),” Oliver said.
However, responding to protests for the Peregrine mission, NASA said it had no control over what the craft contained. This shows the gap between commercial companies and international space law, especially in the US itself.
The Need to Organize Private Missions
Selfie taken by Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander on January 18, 2024. The crescent of the Earth is visible in the background. Image: Astrobotic
Oliver also highlighted the different customs in different countries regarding funerals. How can ashes be placed, handled, transported and scattered into outer space? For example, in Germany, the ashes must be buried. Will they dig up the moon’s gray soil?
“As the privatization of space accelerates, the ethical and legal labyrinth deepens,” he said.
The Outer Space Treaty (OST) declares outer space to be the province of all mankind and prohibits appropriation in the name of the state. However, these efforts fail to address what private companies and individuals can do there.
The new agreement, the Artemis Record, which has been signed by 32 countries, extends protection to lunar sites of historical significance. But these protections also only apply to government, not commercial missions.
2024-01-30 04:51:00
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