On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 22:15:48 GMT, Jose
wrote in : :

It seems to unenlightened, medieval and superstitious.

...as is any respect for the dead. No?

I would characterize the service held when someone dies as an attempt
to bring closure to the trauma and sorrow felt by the deceased's
family and other survivors.

But launching someone's ashes into space on a government funded
mission seems inappropriate.