Grieving can't wait for the pace of progress, and I have to say goodbye now. That's the kind of progress my father believed in.īut I'm not sure I can hang on until then. The act of sending a loved one's remains into space will someday be commonplace, even if we have to book a space flight ourselves to make it happen. I can accept this, because of who he was, and because he knew it was all a part of progress.įor those reasons, I know that his spirit will persevere, and others will keep those launch attempts coming. That it would take several attempts in these early stages to successfully achieve orbit would not have phased him. The short game was created using RPG Maker 2003, and centers around a boy named Philip, who leaves home to save his world from a mysterious corruption. My dad believed in human ingenuity, and he believed in mankind's destiny beyond the exosphere. Space Funeral is an independently created role-playing video game and art game by Irish developer thecatamites. Where most of us lament the premature obsolescence of our cell phones, there are those few of us who've pinned the memories of our family members on a rocket, hoping it will touch the sky. It's difficult, living on the cusp of technology. I'm not laying blame on anyone for the delays. But at the end of these funerals, something goes awry, the body doesn't get buried, and you know you're going to have to come back to do it over again. There's a lot of pomp and ceremony, and a retelling of his deeds in life. While there are many complicated reasons why this is a disappointment, mine is simple: I'd like to finish saying goodbye.Įvery launch attempt is like reliving his funeral. On Saturday, the latest launch attempt by SpaceX, with a portion of my father's remains aboard, failed to achieve orbit. There have been many attempts to send my father on his way. But his launch into space was the most publicized, and it was to be the most significant. In that time, there have been many memorials, the most recent of which to commemorate Linlithgow, Scotland, as the future birthplace of Scotty. It's been just over 3 years since my dad, James Doohan, passed on.
There was no end to the enjoyment he received when people would come up to him and say, "I'm an engineer because of you." So when a company in Texas offered to launch his remains into orbit, we could only accept. Anything he could do to visit NASA, an aircraft carrier, a submarine, he'd do it. I understand that both Cooper and Doohan's surviving kin are receiving the memorial services as a gift, but the company has paying customers, too.
The remains of astronaut Gordon Cooper were also destined for this same service. There have been previous attempts to send Doohan posthumously to the stars, one of which ended with the eventual recovery of the rocket's payload, including those ashes. That wish has not yet been fulfilled, despite repeated attempts.ĭoohan's family provided a portion of his ashes to Celestis, Inc., a subdivision of the Houston-based company Space Services which offers "post-cremation memorial spaceflights." This Saturday, August 2, 2008, those remains were part of the payload for a SpaceX rocket that didn't make it into orbit because of technical problems. Since his passing, it seems he has been most often spoken of in the context of a planned "space funeral" he requested in his will. Holy Cross beat Central Catholic 23-17.[ Editor's note: Actor James Doohan was best known in life for his role as "Scotty" on Star Trek. Top returners: LB George Vina, DB Luke Kaiser, WR/DB Landon GrimesĬentral Catholic's Sylas Gomez runs past Holy Cross' Gabriel Villa for a first down in the second half in the "Holy Bowl" high school football game at Alamo Stadium on Saturday, Sept. Top returners: QB Greyson Donnell, WR/DB Jaylen Gardner Top returners: QB Juan Sierra, WR Noah Casarez, LB Roman Haynes Top returners: RB Sebastian Cantu, WR Hudson Russell, LB Adam Aguilar Top returners: DL/TE Braeden Flowers, DB Caleb Harrison, WR Michael Mayhugh, OL Nick Hughes, OL Kyle Wilson Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer The senior is committed to SMU and will play as a defensive end. Flowers is the area’s top private school athlete, playing tight end and defensive end. Top returners: WR Ricky Gonzalez, QB Jayce Toscano, WR/DB Raleigh Strode, LB/DL Alex PruittĬentral Catholic football player Braeden Flowers is pictured at Central's Bob Benson '66' Stadium in San Antonio, TX, on Aug.