CV NEWS FEED // By the end of the decade, a cross may stand on the surface of the moon — a bold effort to unite advanced space engineering with a public act of Christian witness.
Led by Catholic entrepreneur and NASA scientist Justin Park, the Cross on the Moon Coalition’s HOPE-1 project aims to send a physical symbol of faith beyond Earth’s atmosphere as a public witness to Christ and a reminder that “God is the center of the universe.”
Park told CatholicVote that the MoonCross is rich in symbolism, noting its role as a sacred consecration and a cultural message.
“It is a sacrifice to God. It is a testament to the power of faith,” he said. “It stands for peace and unity. It is a monument from God that radiates his mercy and love.”
Park’s vision for MoonCross emerged through personal grief and a moment of spiritual clarity. Having lost his mother at a very young age, he struggled to make sense of her suffering and the family’s seemingly unanswered prayers for her healing. Years later, she visited him in a dream, appearing as an angel and helping him come to terms with her passing and recognize his calling to become an evangelist for Christ.
“My mother helped me reconcile with God,” Park said. “We don’t always know why The Lord does what he does, but now I have a mission.”
He believes his calling goes beyond our planet. “Faith has no boundaries, and God has destined us for greater things,” Park said.
Park emphasized the extreme standards required for any object headed to the moon.
“We need to use the lightest metal composites possible because every pound is literally a million dollars,” he said. “Anything you send to that Moon must go through a stringent process of acoustic vibrations testing, vacuum chamber testing, and thermal threshold testing.”
To further refine the design, Park said the team is planning a university design competition to improve on the current model.
Catholics and all Christians have been very supportive of the project because they “understand what the cross means,” according to Park.
“The space community is less supportive, especially those who don’t understand or appreciate Christ’s sacrifice for our sins,” he said.
The project hasn’t been without its critics, and some are wary of mixing religion with space. But Park says this has only strengthened his resolve.
“I believe religion and space exploration go hand in hand because they are both searching for the truth,” he said.
Still, Park believes the MoonCross is already sparking important conversations — especially around culture, theology, and unity.
“Living in Washington, D.C., I’ve had many conversations with people from around the world about what this mission means,” he said. “The real uncertainty is less about faith and science clashing, and more about the theology of what we are doing.”
When it comes to criticism, Park said he responds based on where each person is coming from.
“Do they believe in God? If not, I highlight how important religion has been to the history of human culture,” he said. “If they don’t like space, too bad, space exploration is happening. If they don’t understand how this helps people, I get them to acknowledge that this feeds people spiritually and gives us hope, which is what the world needs more now than ever.”
When asked what he hopes the cross will communicate when it stands on the moon, Park responded simply: “God’s love for the planet.”
But he also sees it as a call to action.
“I hope that Christ’s message of peace, love, and fellowship will touch people in their hearts and compel them to donate to the Coalition,” he said. “That way, they can be a part of history and do something greater than themselves.”
He hopes this mission will inspire not just spiritual reflection but also renewed care for one another — and for the planet.
“We strive to inspire humanity by building this Jesus-focused community that envisions a brighter future, in space,” Park said. “People will hopefully be encouraged by this endeavor to be better stewards of the planet, or, at least treat their fellow man with dignity.”
While some look to space exploration primarily as a way to move naturally destructive activities like mining off the earth, Park has a different vision.
“I see this as a chance to elevate humanity to new heights,” he said, “and spread the gospel of the Lord throughout the solar system, starting with the Moon.”
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