The unique burial of Eugene Shoemaker (6 photos)

According to official data, a dozen people have already visited the moon. And only one remained there forever.





We are talking about Eugene Shoemaker - geologist, planetary scientist and pioneer of such a direction as astrogeology. The scientist entered history after the short-period comet was named after him.



Eugene in his youth

The planetologist made the discovery together with his wife Carol and a colleague David Levy. And the fall was the first collision of celestial bodies of such genus, fixed by scientists.

Shoemaker built a brilliant career and achieved incredible results in it. success. At first he studied the earth's craters, and then, in 60s, moved on to the implementation of the space program. Within its framework trained astronauts, sharing knowledge with them in narrow areas and preparing to what kind of terrain they might encounter on the Moon.





With wife Carolyn

The cause of the death of the scientist was a banal accident that occurred on 18 July 1997. But further events developed not at all according to the banal scenario.

Celestis successfully organized a funeral in space space. The first launch took place in 1997. Into space in the last journey went the ashes of 24 people.



Among them were famous people. But in the case of Shoemaker, everything happened differently, especially. Colleagues of the planetologist knew well that Eugene dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but did not pass the selection for medical indicators: failed health. And what if the dream of an outstanding even posthumously?

Nobody had any arguments against it. The project was unique in kind of. And Celestis did not even ask for money for the service, they paid only the cost of the capsule.



Lunar Prospector

January 6, 1998 to the south pole of the Earth's satellite went Lunar Prospector with a polycarbonate capsule on board, where he was scientist's ashes On the shell were personal data, it was applied image of a crater in Arizona (this is where Shoemaker trained astronauts) and a quote from Romeo and Juliet.

On July 31, 1999, the device was specially sent to the lunar surfaces. And the planetologist became the first and so far the only person the burial place of which was the satellite of the Earth.



However, this direction of the service industry, although specific, but quite promising. And it is possible that soon to Shoemaker others who have the desire and opportunity to find their own will join last shelter on the moon.