Volanno Participates in a New Era of Commercial Space Flight
United Launch Alliance had its first successful launch of Vulcan Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida this morning. The launch includes two missions: one to the moon and one into deep space, both key missions in commercial space flight. The lunar mission includes the first commercially built lunar lander, manufactured by Astrobotic. It is a first step in realizing the vision of NASA’s Artemis project, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by the end of the 2020s. The Artemis objectives include developing the necessary technologies and infrastructure for long-term space exploration. Also going to the moon are the ashes of several notable figures, including Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the screenplay for the film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The second mission puts the ashes and DNA of 300 people into deep space as part of the Celestis Memorial Spaceflights program. The ashes are on a mission called Enterprise, and will remain in an orbit 185 million miles away from Earth. Once in orbit, Enterprise mission will become Enterprise Station humanity’s first outpost in the depths of space.
Volanno’s CEO, Dawn Amore, attended the launch from Cape Canaveral, not only as the head of an intelligent transportation company, but as a daughter. Dawn’s mother, Enrica Amore, who passed away in 2019, had her cremated remains onboard the ship. As one would expect from hearing Enterprise, the Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and actors from the original series including his wife Majel Barrett (Nurse Christine Chapel), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Nyota Uhura), DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard McCoy) and other members of the original cast. DNA of U.S. Presidents Washington, Eisenhower, and Kennedy are also aboard.
“This journey with ULA and Celestis is more than just a space flight; it’s a testament to human aspiration, symbolizing our innate desire to explore and transcend boundaries. Putting my mom on this voyage isn't just about reaching the stars – it’s a tribute to the limitless dreams she instilled in me. Today, as commercial space flight turns science fiction into reality, we're not just launching a spacecraft; we’re launching a new era of exploration, where the cosmos becomes a part of our personal stories and shared legacy.”
Learn more about Amore’s participation in the Celestis Memorial Spaceflight in this Associated Press story: The ashes and DNA of ‘Star Trek’ cast members and fans are being sent to space
