According to Arizona public radio station KNAU, "Navajo Nation Chief Bu'u Nygren has asked NASA to postpone a planned moon launch because the launch may include the ashes of cremated remains."
Nygren said he recently learned that the Vulcan Centaur carrying the Lark 1 mission will be launched on January 8. The lander will carry some payload from a company best known for delivering memorial services to the moon for cremated human remains.
Nygren wanted to delay the launch and seek immediate tribal input. He pointed out that the moon is a sacred place for many indigenous cultures, and storing human remains on the moon is "tantamount to sacrilege."
NASA had previously come under fire after the ashes of former geologist and planetary scientist Eugene Shoemaker were placed on the moon in 1998.
Albert Hale, president of the Navajo Nation at the time, said the act was a serious disservice to the beliefs of many Native Americans. NASA later apologized and promised to consult with tribes before approving any similar missions in the future.