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Remains of James Doohan Lost in New Mexico

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the red-shirts-all-around dept.

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!"

12 of 220 comments (clear)

  1. Raise your hands by suv4x4 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Who else thinks the whole idea is kinda retarded? I mean, in the beginning I thought the ashes of those people will be dispersed in space, which was very strong as a symbol and a ceremony, of sorts.

    But carry them in space and land them (and now .. to lose them)? What the hell was the effin point of this whole thing?

    1. Re:Raise your hands by Saeger · · Score: 4, Insightful

      *shrug* Most cultures are still obsessed with the mind's dead vessel; that's not going to change overnight.

      IMO, both cremation & cemeteries are a huge waste of resources. When I finally get around to writing my Will, it'll include something to the effect: "If my pattern of mind is beyond repair, drop my naked nutrient-rich matter into a vertical hole and plant a tree. I forbid energy-wastful cremation, and burial in a rip-off casket in a drab cemetery surrounded by giant obelisk phallic symbols..." Of course, there's probably some business-friendly laws which says that's illegal.

      --
      Power to the Peaceful
    2. Re:Raise your hands by camperdave · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Very few people can pull off "intimidating" when stuffed and left on a couch. "Creepy", on the other hand...

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    3. Re:Raise your hands by siriuskase · · Score: 2, Insightful

      When my husband died, I rented a coffin for $200. We used it for almost a week before finally getting him cremated. Not bad, I guess considering what a motel goes for around here.

      --
      If you must moderate, please moderate as irrelevent, not something bad, because I'm sure someone will find this interest
    4. Re:Raise your hands by stanmann · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It has to be certified by the state health department for storage and transport of human remains. doing that as a one off today will cost you rather more than your materials. and yes, for $40 of materials, but how much time, and how much does that time cost on a commercial scale.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    5. Re:Raise your hands by nobuddy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My will says "Give away any parts anyone wants, burn the rest."

  2. Re:Sad :( by DumbSwede · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In the game of life we are ALL wearing red shirts

    --
    Letter To Iran
  3. Re:as lame as it sounds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Excuse me....transmitters and parachutes and known within 1300 feet and you couldn't find it?!?
    Finding a wreck in the wilderness is hard. Note that a circle with a 1300ft radius is about half a mile on a side, and covers about 120 acres. It's tough to find a relatively small bunch of equipment in the middle of all that.

    About ten years ago a business jet crashed into the woods near their destination airport in New Hampshire while landing. Despite a concerted effort by rescue crews to find the wreck in order to rescue the people on board and the fact that the aircraft was being tracked on radar right up to the accident and it crashed at a fairly well known location about 20 miles from the airport, the wreck of the jet was not found for almost three years.
  4. Not exactly by kahrytan · · Score: 4, Insightful


      They should launched Doohan and Cooper into deep space. They deserve better then to be shoved back to this stinkin planet.

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    \
  5. Re:Someone failed grade 5 math by afaik_ianal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... and somebody failed physics.

    If they followed your suggestion, they probably wouldn't find it. The signals in mountainous terrain bounce all over the place.

    Even if it were that simple to locate, you've still got to get in there to pick it up.

  6. Re:No problem. by boyko.at.netqos · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Dude, joking is fine and all, but just keep it to a minimum. It's not just James Doohan's ashes lost in New Mexico, it's also the ashes of John B. Marques, a 24 year old man from Austin, Texas, who died in December 2004. He was my close friend. There are also 198 other people - people with families and loved ones.

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    I used to work for NetQoS. I no longer do, but want to keep the excellent karma attached to this account.
  7. Re:No problem. by Miseph · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Not to be an ass about your dead friend... but seriously, relax. Suck as it may, he's gone, and there's no sense in worrying he might have been injured, or that he's offended.

    Besides, I'd expect that if your buddy wanted to be launched into space, he'd have a sense of humor about this sort of thing.

    --
    Try not to take me more seriously than I take myself.