The First and Only Person Buried on the Moon: Eugene Shoemaker

We are making new discoveries in space every day by sending telescopes, rockets and spacecraft. One of the pioneers of these discoveries astrogeologist, We will learn the story of the ashes that got stuck in the moon.

About colonization on the Moon The name of Eugene Merle Shoemaker, who made great contributions to his field with his work, JupiterIt was made famous by a comet that hit .

The ashes of Eugene Shoemaker, who did not have the chance to set foot on the Moon while living on Earth, are buried in the ground where he worked for many years. NASA It was placed in a special polycarbonate capsule and sent to the Moon.

Why is Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 important?

The significance of Comet Shoemaker-Levy, a comet that hit Jupiter in 1994, is significant in human history. Witnessing the collision of a comet and a planet for the first time It’s great because we have the chance.

Spotted and reported by Eugene Shoemaker and David Levy Along with this astronomical event, the comet is also named after Shoemaker and Levy.

Eugene trained many astronauts to send them into space.

Eugene earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from the California Institute of Technology and a doctorate from Princeton University. Investing his knowledge in researching the Moon and preparing astronauts for the type of soil/rock they will land on used for.

In addition to his extensive work on craters around the state in the United States He founded the archaeological studies program. Eugene’s work was an invaluable element in the success of the Apollo missions and other NASA projects.

Essentially, in Arizona Meteor Crater The origin of the place known as was unclear before his doctoral thesis. Because this crater is quite similar to the terrain on the Moon Apollo It was the same crater where most of the astronauts on their missions trained.

Since Eugene stepped into the realm of space He very much wanted to go to the Moon and be able to plan colonization.. However, he believed that staying on Earth and continuing his work as an astronomer and geologist was more valuable than going to the Moon as an astronaut.

Eugene’s last journey

Eugene, who died in a traffic accident in Australia on July 18, 1997; Carolyn Porco, his close colleague, knew that his biggest dream was to go to the Moon. He came up with the idea of ​​sending his body to the Moon and NASA decided it was a very good idea.

Eugene Shoemaker’s ashes are in a special polycarbonate capsule manufactured by a company called Celestis It was launched to the south pole of the Moon on January 6, 1998, using a rocket called Lunar Prospector.. His name, birth and death dates, as well as a photo of himself training astronauts on a geology expedition, were placed on the outside of the capsule.

So Eugene, He went to the place he always wished to be while he was alive.

But Eugene won’t be the only one there any time soon.

Because a rocket to be launched from Cape Canaveral Cosmodrome will contain a rocket containing Liam Anand, who passed away in 2018. ashes of 70 people He will leave it to the moon.

The man in question, Liam, had a place in the minds of those around him with his interest in astronomy and his dreams of going to Mars when he grew up. This, which took place through a company that provides funeral services on the moon, costs approximately 13 thousand dollars, according to the CEO. Again, according to the CEO’s words, this corresponds to a standard funeral fee in the USA.

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