Many celebrities or rich private citizens engage in a bit of post-mortal self-aggrandizing egotism by blasting some portion of their remains into space. This includes James Doohan, the immortal “Mr. Scott” of Star Trek fame.
I have two problems with this.
1. It is an unconscionable waste of resources considering the fuel to weight ratio of sending anything into space.
2. Earth provided the biological raw materials for us to have life, and I like to think that when I pass on, the raw materials I am made of will be recycled into new life. Removing anything from that process strikes me as unappreciative of the gift of life that was given to me.
8 users commented in " Send my ashes into space? No thank you "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIt is an unconscionable waste of resources considering the fuel to weight ratio of sending anything into space.
a) The fuel to weight thing is true now. It will not always be so.
b) The resources are not exactly scarce – they are just not in a convenient form. If I’ve got the money to Make It So (haw) then the resources will available.
“Earth provided the biological raw materials for us to have life, and I like to think that when I pass on, the raw materials I am made of will be recycled into new life. Removing anything from that process strikes me as unappreciative of the gift of life that was given to me.”
After the ashes have been sent into space they spend several years in orbit. After that the ashes then re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up on re-entry. Technically the “raw materials” leave Earth, but then eventually come back to be “recycled into new life” as you put it. Nothing is irreversibly removed and therefore the argument of being “unappreciative of the gift of life†does not hold.
Yes it could be considered a waste of resources, but if that is what people really want then go for it I say.
Good point Kevin. I guess it would take quite a rocket to get the ashes far enough out that they wouldn’t re-enter earth.
OK, I just think it’s a waste of energy then.
Mankind is growing and is ready for the next frontier. If we do not develop and explore that next hurdle of development, we have a tendance to either stagnate or generally implode on each other (wars, etc.). I believe it is time we advanced and part of that development is achieved by honoring those who have gone on by sending their ashes into space (be it a suborbital dispersal, a round trip, or launch into deep space). At this time, every launch is an opportunity to learn more about space travel. I’m all for this.
By the way, space has been internationally defined as “100 Km, or 60 miles” up. This is a very low, suborbital distance. To put this in perspective, the space lab is about 250 miles up. To disperse ashes at 100 Km altitude, at a low speed, would allow the ashes to return in a week or a couple of months but they would return…gently, almost like dust.
I think you’re a moron for complaining about wasted energy.
Why begrudge someone there death rite if thats what someone wants and they have the means to do it theres no problem. Furthermore the company that handles the process only sends up grams at a time wich they hitchhike on to spaceflights from the various agencies running them rightnow the fuel costs arent as high as you would think since the agencies are already sending a ship anyway
WHO CARES IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. ITS STILL A FREE COUNTRY FOR BOTH CONSERVATIVES AND LIBS. GET A LIFE.
LOL, you’re the one coming here to my blog RR. As you so ironically noted in your shouting interruption…. it’s a free country, which means I’m free to post my opinions.
At least for now. Maybe not for very much longer though…
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