Navajo Nation asks White House to stop flight bringing human remains to the moon
by CNN NewsourceSun, January 7th 2024
An upcoming flight to the moon is receiving backlash from the largest Native American group in the U.S.
The Navajo Nation has asked the White House to delay Peregrine Mission One, which will be the U.S.'s first lunar lander since the end of Project Apollo in 1972.
The spacecraft is set to launch on Monday with a number of payloads, including the cremated remains of 66 people to be buried there.
However, the Navajo Nation voiced objections, saying it would be offensive to many indigenous cultures that revere the moon.
The CEO of Celestis, one of several companies paying to hitch a ride on the Peregrine, disputes the idea that the burials will desecrate the moon in any way.
Officials from NASA, the FAA, and the Departments of Transportation and Commerce met at the White House Friday to discuss the issue, but it appears the mission will proceed as planned.
