Has Anyone Been Buried On The Moon?

It’s an interesting question. The moon’s surface has no environmental activity, is dead geologically, and exists in a vacuum. The moon would certainly be a great place to be buried if you didn’t want your remains disturbed — by man or nature. With the United States having made multiple manned missions to the moon, and others having their cremated remains launched into space, has anyone ever been buried on the moon?

Cremated remains in space?

New Horizons Space Probe

A space burial is a type of burial which a small sample of the cremated ashes of the deceased are placed in a lipstick-sized capsule and are launched into space. As of 2004, up to 150 people have had their ashes sent off into space.
A few famous people have opted for this type of burial after their passing, including Gene Roddenberry and Timothy Leary. However, only one person lays claim to having his remains on a trajectory out of our solar system, toward the stars. That person is Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered Pluto. His ashes are aboard the New Horizons spacecraft – the first spacecraft that will pass by and photograph the surface of Pluto.

Has Anyone Been Buried On The Moon?

The answer depends on your definition of “buried on the moon”. Currently, there are no intact remains buried in the lunar soil.

The Fallen Astronaut

However, Eugene Shoemaker, noted geologist and planetary scientist, was cremated after his passing and his ashes carried to the moon on July 31, 1999 in a capsule created by Carolyn Porco. To date, he is the only person who calls the moon his final resting place.

On Aug 1st, 1971, astronauts from the Apollo 15 mission placed a memorial in commemoration of the astronauts who have given their lives in the pursuit and advancement of space exploration. It’s an aluminum sculpture of an astronaut in a spacesuit and is called “Fallen Astronaut”. Along with the sculpture sits a plaque bearing the names of six Soviet cosmonauts and eight American astronauts who have given their lives towards this goal.