Moon is in demand : As space exploration becomes increasingly privatized and commercial, the possibility of lunar burials has become a reality. Two American companies offer the service, allowing paying customers to send their mementos to the Moon. However, the practice has raised ethical and legal questions.
The Navajo Nation, for example, considers the Moon sacred and opposes using it as a memorial site. Additionally, individual nations have different rules on where and how human ashes can be located, handled, and transported, and how those could extend to space.
The Outer Space Treaty declares space the “province of all mankind” while banning national appropriation, but it fails to address the issue of lunar burials. As we venture further into space, it is important to consider the ethical implications of our actions.
Astrobotic, a US-based company, owns the Peregrine, a small car-sized spacecraft that was launched on the Vulcan Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral. The Peregrine was carrying human ashes, including those of famed science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, as part of a commercial partnership with DHL. The idea of sending ashes to the Moon has been embraced by many, including astronauts who have been in space.
Ashes Laid On the Moon raises ethical and legal questions
However, the practice raises ethical and legal questions, particularly for indigenous cultures that consider the Moon sacred. NASA has pledged to consult in the future after an outcry from the Navajo Nation when it carried some of Eugene Shoemaker’s ashes to the Moon aboard the Lunar Prospector probe. The gaps between commercial enterprise and international space law are highlighted by the Peregrine’s fate, which suffered fatal fuel issues shortly after launch.A legal minefield
The increasing privatization of space exploration has raised complex ethical and legal questions regarding the transportation and handling of human ashes in space. The Outer Space Treaty (OST) designates space as the “province of all mankind” and prohibits national appropriation, but it does not address the activities of private companies and individuals. The recent Artemis Accords, signed by 32 nations, extend protection to lunar sites of historical significance, but these protections only apply to governments, not commercial missions.
Additionally, the rules in individual nations on the handling and transportation of human ashes vary, further complicating the legal landscape. As commercial space travel continues to advance, laws and regulations surrounding lunar burials may need to evolve to address the ethical implications and cultural perspectives.
The concept of lunar burials raises significant legal and ethical questions, and future legal developments will likely shape the regulation of lunar burials, ensuring a balance between innovation and responsible use of outer space resources.
