[meteorite-list] What do you get when you cross an astrologer and a lawyer?

From: Darren Garrison <cynapse_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Apr 22 17:37:43 2005
Message-ID: <hrri61hqhrd9fenqokqml1kg8atqnonaj6_at_4ax.com>

http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes.html

April 20

Russian Astrologist Sues NASA

NASA has been taken to court in Russia over its plans to crack open a comet.

Marina Bai, a Russian astrologist, filed a lawsuit last month with the Presnensky district court in
Moscow, demanding that the U.S. space agency call off its $311 million Deep Impact mission. As
reported in MosNews.com, Bai is also asking for 8.7 billion rubles ($311 million) in compensation
for moral damages.

?The actions of NASA infringe upon my system of spiritual and life values, in particular on the
values of every element of creation, upon the unacceptability of barbarically interfering with the
natural life of the universe, and the violation of the natural balance of the Universe,? Bai said in
her claim.

Deep Impact, which is already in space, is scheduled to collide with Comet 9P/Tempel 1 on July 4th
of this year. The spacecraft will be used to dig out a crater in the comet. Scientists will then
hope to learn what a typical comet is made of.

The district court dismissed the Bai?s case, but the Moscow City Court took up the appeal and will
rule following a hearing scheduled for May 6.

Benny Peiser, a researcher at Liverpool John Moores University who follows asteroid science and the
surrounding media and public attention, said even some Russian scientists have jumped on this court
case, calling the space mission an act of "vandalism that cannot be justified."

"I can only hope that this irrational technophobia is not a sign of things to come in other parts of
Europe, which is already falling worryingly behind internationally in science and technology, never
mind space exploration," Peiser told SPACE.com.

-- SPACE.com Staff
Received on Fri 22 Apr 2005 05:42:29 PM PDT