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From: al@mot.UUCP (Al Filipski)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.misc,net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Space Burial
Message-ID: <96@mot.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 12-Feb-85 13:24:31 EST
Article-I.D.: mot.96
Posted: Tue Feb 12 13:24:31 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Feb-85 06:21:07 EST
References: <406@ahuta.UUCP>
Organization: Motorola Microsystems, Phoenix AZ
Lines: 24
Xref: watmath net.space:3560 net.misc:7446 net.sf-lovers:6206


>Yes, you can be buried in space!  Just have someone send your cremated remains
>("cremains," as they were called in the news story on NPR this morning) to SSI
>(not to be confused with the Princeton-based Space Studies Institute, also
>called SSI), and they will further reduce them to fit into a capsule
>approximately 1" by 1-1/4" which will be inscribed with your name, social
>security number, and (optional) religious symbol of your choice.  Then a
>capsule containing several thousand of these will be placed into low earth
>orbit (through the Van Allen Belt, which has very little satellite traffic).

Compact little  shapes? (like what the Kelvans did to the crew of the 
Enterprise) Low Earth orbit? What a drag. I think I'll wait until 
they can give my carcass enough energy to leave the solar system. I
can't decide whether I'd like to have my arms outstretched like
Superman or maybe even go feet first. Imparting a stately slow roll to
the body might be dignified but I'd be mad if they set that sucker tumbling
arsey-varsey. Real comforting, thinking about gliding along that
infinite mean free path until you sublimate.  Better than a pyramid.

--------------------------------
Alan Filipski, UNIX group, Motorola Microsystems, Tempe, AZ U.S.A
{seismo | ihnp4 } ! ut-sally ! oakhill ! mot ! al
--------------------------------
she canna' take much more o' this, captain