Space Capsule Carrying Ashes of Over 160 People Lost After Crashing into Pacific Ocean
The Exploration Company that launched the capsule said that it was 'investigating the root causes" of what happened
Celestis noted that as a result of the crash, they believe that they would 'not be able to recover or return the flight capsules aboard,' which were supposed to return back to Earth to their loved onesA capsule carrying more than 160 souls to the stars met an anticlimactic fate.
The Nyx capsule was launched on June 23 as part of the program 'Mission Possible' led by a German start-up called The Exploration Company (TEC), according to the company's website.
However, things did not go exactly to plan, with the company sharing in a letter that the payload encountered an 'issue' after its launch. The company said the capsule was 'launched successfully, powered the payloads nominally in-orbit, stabilized itself after separation with the launcher, re-entered and re-established communication after black out," but then things went off script.
The company said it 'lost communication' with the capsule 'a few minutes before splash down.' TEC did not say what could have caused the issue, but is 'investigating the root causes.'
'We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads,' the company said in a statement in the letter.
One of these clients was Celestis, a Texas-based company that offers to send loved one's ashes into space. The company noted on its website that its 'Perseverance Flight' carrying the ashes and DNA of 166 deceased participants was launched aboard the TEC's Nyx spacecraft.
The company noted that this was the first Celestis mission in which the ashes were 'designed to return from orbit.'
The company said that the spacecraft 'completed two orbits around Earth' — which they say met their 'criteria for a successful Earth Orbit service' — but then when it initiated its return trajectory, 'an anomaly occurred and the vehicle was lost shortly after re-entry.'
This issue caused the Nyx capsule to crash into the Pacific Ocean, 'dispersing its contents at sea,' according to the company. As a result of this, they believe that they would 'not be able to recover or return the flight capsules aboard.'
'Though we currently believe that we cannot return the flight capsules, we hope families will find some peace in knowing their loved ones were part of a historic journey, launched into space, orbited Earth, and are now resting in the vastness of the Pacific, akin to a traditional and honored sea scattering,' the company said in a statement.
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According to Popular Mechanics, ashes weren't the only thing on board the space capsule. Cannabis plant matter and seeds launched as part of a citizen science project called Martian Grow were also on board the capsule.
The Nyx capsule, dubbed 'Mission Possible,' was TEC's 'second spacecraft to reach orbit in under four years,' according to the company's website. The launch was also the first for TEC's Nyx capsule, which they designed in order to transport crew and cargo to and from LEO and beyond.
'We are continuing our journey, eager to implement these learnings in our next vehicle,' said Hélène Huby, Founder & CEO. 'We will learn from Mission Possible and improve, together as a team. I express my profound gratitude to The Exploration Company's team members who are demonstrating outstanding solidarity, resilience, and commitment to the success of our mission.'
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