The moon "is a compelling site for a memorial," Chafer said. "Two of our services are below the average cost of a funeral, but [the lunar burial] has to be a little more."
The company already has more than a dozen "participants" lined up for the moon memorial, including the remains of lunar geologist Mareta West. Chafer said that when he first started the business, he projected that the typical customer would be a "white man who lived near a space center." But its customer base has proved to be much more diverse, and he says about two-thirds of the people who purchase space burials for their loved ones are women, he said.
Celestis believes it may send the remains of 100 to 250 people on Moon Express' lander next year, but over the next few years that could grow to several thousand lunar memorials.
Space burial might be one of the first business lines for Moon Express, but Jain has plenty of other ideas. He plans to bring moon rocks back to Earth and sell them as alternatives to diamonds, taking aim at companies such as De Beers.
"I believe [moon rocks] are worth billions alone because no one can get moon rocks," Jain said. "Diamonds are the symbol of love from De Beer, but the moon has been a symbol of love for centuries. If you love her enough, give her the moon."
Another business line, Jain said, could be selling a service for new parents who want to commemorate the birth of their child by sending molds of their footprints to the moon. "We don't know what is going to capture people's imaginations," Jain said.
Ultimately, the long-term economic potential may reside in mining rare elements and helium-3, a gas that's considered to be a potential clean fuel. Ultimately, Jain said, he believes people will live and work on the moon.
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