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NE Ohio man's ashes heading to space in otherworldly tribute: ‘Memorialize him forever'
CLEVELAND (WJW) – From ashes to orbit, a Northeast Ohio man who loved life and especially astronomy is being honored this weekend with an out of this world tribute.
Retired Mentor pharmacist Curtis 'Curt' Carson Lau had many interests from whale watching to bonsai trees, but especially astronomy.
He was a proud member of the Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society and often took trips to see launches at the Kennedy Space Center.
'One time I was talking to him he was like, 'I'm listening to a book on astrophysics,' like what?' said son Griffin Lau.
Lau's sons Griffin and Carson hoped to see a launch with him someday, but in July 2024 he passed away suddenly while working out at the gym just weeks after his 70th birthday.
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The boys immediately recalled a conversation with their dad about what to do with his cremains.
'We discussed planting a tree or launching a firework,' said Griffin. 'But the main one was getting launched into space… certainly knew very quickly after his passing this was something we wanted to do for him.'
The contacted Celestis, Inc. Memorial Spaceflights, co-founded three decades ago by CEO Charles Chafer.
'As a way for people around the world to experience space at a time of loss,' he said. 'It's the coolest memorial service on or off the planet.'
Chafer said this weekend's launch will take place out of Vanderberg Space Force Base. The mission is being provided by The Exploration Company, through SpaceX's SmallSat Rideshare program.
'We attach ourselves to a satellite or rocket that already has the destination that we're intending,' said Chafer.
The weekend launch will be the 25th for the company.
They've put 2,500 souls from 35 nations into space.
Prices start around $3,400 using a symbolic portion of the cremains or a DNA sample in a small capsule.
There are four destination options from the moon to deep, deep space.
A popular selection includes orbiting earth for five years and then returning like a celestial body.
'The laws of physics and gravity bring those capsules back into the atmosphere in a container that burns up entirely upon reentry creating a shooting star,' said Chafer.
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The Lau's chose an option where their dad's ashes will orbit the earth traveling 17,000 miles per hour before re-entering the atmosphere.
The capsules will then be retrieved off the coast of Alaska and returned to the families about two months after the initial launch.
'Kind of a final gift to him,' said Carson. 'He spent a lot of his later years going down to watch rocket launches and it was like, 'oh, we'll get there at some point as a family,' so in a way this is like the three of us as a family getting to do that and getting to get the capsule back after is just kind of a nice cherry on top.'
A proper farewell for a father whose life shone brighter than the stars he so loved.
'We're excited again from a closure release standpoint to have one launch together to help memorialize him further,' said Griffin.
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