Remains of James Doohan Lost in New Mexico

caffiend666 writes "According to a Space.com news article the cremated remains of 200 people were lost in the mountains after their trip to space. 'The search for the UP Aerospace payload of experiments and the cremated remains of some 200 people — including "Scotty" of Star Trek fame, as well as pioneeering NASA Mercury astronaut, Gordon Cooper — continues within rugged New Mexico mountain landscape.' Is it just me, or does it seem appropriate that they lost the landing party? Here's to a safe recovery!"

Re:what

[wizardforce]

If the rocket did what it was supposed to why would the remains and other crap have come back to earth?

because it was never meant to leave Earth completely, it was SUPPOSED to come back down

Wow, they weren't retarded.

[Actually, I do RTFA]

They did use a tracking becon. As far as they can tell, it is still working, to a couple km (diameter) circle. Unfortunately it landed in mountainous terrain, and "go[ing] towards the signal" is a physical impossiblity. (Okay, not impossible, but quite difficult). Also, the terrain is messing with the signals.

Next week (no hurry I suppose), the manufacturers of the tracking device are bringing more sensitive equipment and more experienced searchers to search for it.

Summary is incorrect

[treeves]

Nitpick: TFA says they didn't get into space. TFS says "remains of 200 people were lost in the mountains after their trip to space."

Re:Raise your hands

[suv4x4]

IMO, both cremation & cemeteries are a huge waste of resources.

Cremation is useful in that it avoid infection spreading (especially, but not limited to when the man/woman died froma dangerous infection disease). It gets cremated and can be dealt with with much less resources.

But dropping the vessel from space and losing the ash in a forest isn't exactly what I imagined it should be like.

Re:Raise your hands

[sendai2ci]

Claim that it is your religion, PC should still trump business-friendly.

Islamic burial traditions for one specifies burial without a coffin, with markers or any sort discouraged. Although they are laid on their right side with their face towards Mecca...

Send in the red shirts!

[WheelDweller]

In these crazy days, doesn't it seem like there's a lawyer somewhere just WAITING for the first time a journalist writes the headline, "Lost in Space" so they can get copyright infringement?

Maybe I'm too cynical. :>

Seriously though; "Scotty" was a huge hero even before Star Trek. One of his previous roles was on June 6th, 1944: he was one of them attacking Fortress Europa. His efforts, and the efforts of thousands of other guys wasting their childhood fighting Nazi Germany is why we're free. Why the show could air; why the benefits of freedom are so available. I liked'em before, but upon learning that, I'm his biggest fan.

My dad came behind the push at Anzio, he got a late start. Dad is why I know this was such a huge accomplishment. Thanks so much, "Scotty".

Re:Raise your hands

[Mr2cents]

Well spoken. It's an industry. The one thing I remember when my grandfather died (it was an insanely emotional period - my other grandfather had just died a week earlier, both unexpected), the undertakers were there in no time and asked my grandmother: "do you want him to be buried in first class or second class ground?" (literally). What is she supposed to say at such a time? Of course she chose "first class", thinking she would honour him that way. In reality, she just paid a lot of money.. for what? I was quite disgusted.

Re:Raise your hands

[freaker_TuC]

My grandma has died 2 months ago, the government already closes the bank account at first knowledge of death. This to pay the expenses of the undertakers, the church service, the after service (in Belgium with coffee cakes and sandwiches, because it's a tradition to eat and talk with the relatives around in a room/tables) and some other expenses...

These expenses start with the "cheapest" which is not really "cheap" anymore but rather expensive and if you want to be buried with some decency (which won't change anything for you anymore anyways), the bill will be -very- expensive/uncatholic ... It seems to be a profitable business, maybe some idea through the web *shrug*

Re:Raise your hands

[Rie Beam]

Actually, the idea of a minimal-impact burial is alive and well. Fitting with the tradition, it's called a "green burial". Google isn't all that helpful at this point, but it's essentially being unembalmed, being thrown in a cardboard box and having a tree plotted over you as opposed to a traditional process. I'm not sure how popular it is now, but an article from about a year ago denotes a small, but growing, trend:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/artic le.html?in_article_id=389741&in_page_id=1879 [dailymail.co.uk]

Re:Raise your hands

[apparently]

"drop my naked nutrient-rich matter into a vertical hole and plant a tree." Well, the safer way would be something like Capsula Mundi [capsulamundi.it]:

Capsula Mundi is a design for a biodegradable coffin made from starch plastic that holds the deceased in a fetal position... Capsula Mundi is planted in the earth like a seed. Above it, to signal the presence of occupied space, is a shallow concave circle dug out of the ground. In the center of which, a tree is planted, the essence of it chosen in life by the dead one, the care of this tree is the responsibility of everyone. The aim is ecological burial, literally a more natural way to decay.