What is a Space Burial?
14 May 2022
Space burial is the act of sending a part of cremated remains into space. It can be moved around the earth and then to space or the moon. The first space burial did not take place until 1992, when NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia brought part of the cremated remains of Roddenberry into space. The mission of Loddenbury was a round-trip trip because the ashes returned to earth at the end of the mission.
History of Space Burial and Famous Burial Examples
Jean Roddenbury has experienced two space funerals. After carrying the ashes into space on the NASA mission, the first private space burial was carried out in April 1997, and some of the ashes were carried to the sky. A private space company, Celestis, launched a pegasus rocket and brought samples of the remains of 24 people into space.
The rocket spent five years orbiting the earth before it burned up in the atmosphere. It is not just Roddenbury that has put the remains on this rocket. The space physicist Gerard O’Neill, rocket scientist Kraft Erik, and counterculture icon Timothy Leary’s ashes were also on board.
What is a space burial, and how can I launch ashes into space?
Most people will not have the chance to experience space travel. But for space fans, there is a choice called the Space Burial. This is to send part of cremated ashes and DNA samples into space.
It’s an unearthly service to remember celebrities, such as Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, and James Doohan, who played the role of Scotti in Star Trek. Also, astronomers, astronauts, and scientists have been on rockets after death. And today, through two private companies, anyone can choose a space for burial. Let’s look at what a space burial is like, as I will explain later.
What’s the cost of the space funeral?
Costs vary by service and company. Below are the options and prices for three North American companies, Beyond Burials, Celestis, and Elysium.
Space burials with Beyond Burials
Beyond Valleurs provides affordable space memorials to celebrate a loved one. There are five packages ranging from $1500 to $7500, each with a memorial video that captures every moment of the journey.
