Lunar gardens of remembrance

louis · 2008-03-26 20:43:47

(REPOSTED NOW I UNDERSTAND HOW THE HEADINGS WORK!)

I'm rather enthused by this idea of lunar gardens of remembrance.

Flying up a kg of ashes is a lot more economically within the reach of people than flying up a whole live body.

The gardens of remembrance could be laid out tastefully on some sort of plain. With no wind, the ashes won't blow away. They will still be there in a million years (or so the advertising will promise). It will be the perfect resting place for all astronomers and space enthusiasts. Doesn't have to be the whole of the ashes, could just be a part. There could be different prices ranging from tiny amounts to the full works with perhaps remembrance plaque as well.

There could be a webcam to broadcast the scene permanently back to earth.

It would be comforting for many to be able to look at the moon and know they are gazing on their loved ones' final resting place.

Even with current launch costs, this could still be an economic proposition and with costs reducing it becomes ever more so.

louis · 2008-03-28 08:02:47

OK, no one's biting on this post, but I'll add a bit of detail.

Let's say we transport 10 tonnes of ashes to the Moon - about 10,000 Kgs.
And let's say the average per person is 250 grams and we charge $5,000 for that.

That would require 40,000 sales globally. I guess there must be about 4 million deaths a year in the US. So that would represent about 1% of the potential "market", although I don't know how many of them are cremations. Let's say half. We'd be talking about 2% of the market.

The income produced would be $200 million.

It seems the sort of thing more likely to appeal to Americans. But possibly Japanese also?

Anyway, with the right marketing, through funeral directors/morticians, we might be able to achieve these sorts of figures.

If we can get the flight and other costs in at under $200 million we are beginning to look at a profitable business.

I'm beginning to think there might also be a market for memorial plaques on the Moon as an alternative - brass (or ceramic?) plaques secured to flattish crater walls perhaps.

I think the durability of memorials on the Moon - the lack of decay - would be a BIG selling point in the right hands.

The Moon as a romantic symbol could also provide scope for lunar economic development. I'm going to give some thought to that.

zhar2 · 2008-03-28 08:51:36

Plus that organic matter in the future might be usefull to be collected for moon colonies farms. :twisted:

louis · 2008-03-28 10:02:58

True, but I think we better wait a few years before making use of the material

SpaceNut · 2008-03-30 20:27:53

In olden times the edge of the earth was a popular place to have burials at sea but these days it is space that is the frontier and there are a few companies crazy enough to think that a profit can be made in doing so.

Space memorial firm will rocket cremated remains on the moon

Method of barial:

Instead of caskets or urns, ashes of the dearly departed will be sealed in capsules built into lunar landing modules, which will serve as communal crypts on the moon's surface.

Cost to the dearly departed:

Celestis Inc. will charge about 10,000 dollars (US) to send a single gram of human remains to the moon and plans a deal for couples -- 14 grams of ashes from two people for approximately 30,000 dollars

When will such flight take place:

Celestis confirmed on Friday that it has deals with private firms Odyssey Moon Limited and Astrobotic Technology Inc. to send cremated human remains to the lunar surface via private rocket flights by the end of 2009.

Those that have already gone before are Shoemaker, Gene Roddenberry, and James Doohan are amoung the who's who...

For me if it comes down to paying for my ashes or giving a future flight to my kids, the kids win out....

louis · 2008-03-30 20:49:22

Thanks for that Space Nut. Obviously others are working on the idea but I am thinking really that it would only be offered once a the area had been properly laid out. I can kind of see it my mind's eye. I think you need somewhere with an eerie beauty. I think it will prove powerfully attractive to many people.

Commodore · 2008-03-30 22:41:52

We should spread the remains of Arthur C Clark on Europa.

idiom · 2008-03-31 05:03:53

I always thought being thrown into the sun to join the nuclear cycle and shine down upon everyone was somewhat more noble...

zhar2 · 2008-03-31 05:35:46

I always thought being thrown into the sun to join the nuclear cycle and shine down upon everyone was somewhat more noble...

Yeah that sounds better.

louis · 2008-03-31 05:51:49

In theory, but you can't look at the sun with the naked eye. Whereas you can look at the moon and think, my loved one is there gazing down on me - or at least it will induce such comforting thoughts.

zhar2 · 2008-03-31 05:59:01

Well you can with a polarising lens.

louis · 2008-03-31 11:53:02

That's not quite as romantic a notion!

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#1 2008-03-26 20:43:47

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#2 2008-03-28 08:02:47

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#3 2008-03-28 08:51:36

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#4 2008-03-28 10:02:58

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#5 2008-03-30 20:27:53

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#6 2008-03-30 20:49:22

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#7 2008-03-30 22:41:52

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#8 2008-03-31 05:03:53

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#9 2008-03-31 05:35:46

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#10 2008-03-31 05:51:49

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#11 2008-03-31 05:59:01

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

#12 2008-03-31 11:53:02

Re: Lunar gardens of remembrance

Board footer