Latest news with #NyxCapsule
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Spacecraft carrying cannabis and human remains crashes into the ocean
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We've sent some pretty interesting payloads to space since the first satellite (Sputnik 1) launched on October 4th, 1957. As access to space has increased, thanks largely to the commercial space industry, so too have the types of payloads we are sending. Consider the Nyx capsule created by German aerospace startup The Exploration Company, which launched on June 23rd from the Vandenberg Space Force Base atop a Falcon-9 rocket as part of a rideshare mission (Transporter-14). The payload for this flight (dubbed "Mission Possible") included the ashes and DNA of more than 166 deceased people provided by Celestis, a Texas-based memorial spaceflight company. While the mission achieved orbit and a controlled reentry, the capsule's landing parachutes failed to deploy before landing. This caused the Nyx capsule to crash in the Pacific Ocean on June 24th, causing all of its cargo to be lost at sea. This was the first time The Exploration Company sent customer payloads to space, equivalent to roughly 300 kg (660 lbs) of cargo. In a statement posted on LinkedIn, the company described the flight as a "partial success (partial failure)." Per their statement: 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 it encountered an issue afterwards, based on our current best knowledge, and we lost communication a few minutes before splashdown. We are still investigating the root causes and will share more information soon. We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads. We thank our teams for their hard work and their dedication to success. We have been pushing boundaries in record time and cost. This partial success reflects both ambition and the inherent risks of innovation. Leveraging the technical milestones achieved yesterday and the lessons we will extract from our ongoing investigation, we will then prepare to re-fly as soon as possible. This is also the second time Celestis has lost a payload, the previous having taken place in 2023 when a rocket containing the cremated remains of the late NASA astronaut Philip K. Chapman exploded over New Mexico. Celestis also released a statement of condolences to the families of the people whose remains were lost: In the coming days, our team will reach out to each family individually to offer support and discuss possible next steps. 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. RELATED STORIES —SpaceX's Starship explodes on Texas launch pad in 'catastrophic failure' during routine test —NASA spots Japan's doomed 'Resilience' moon lander from orbit — and it's surrounded by far-flung debris —Zombie NASA satellite emits powerful radio pulse after 60 years of silence In addition to the human remains and other payloads, Nyx also carried cannabis plant matter and seeds provided by Martian Grow, an open-source citizen science project. The purpose was to study the effects of microgravity on the germination and resilience, potentially providing insight into how life could adapt and fare in the Martian environment. The first, Mission Bikini, launched a smaller reentry capsule in July 2024 atop an Ariane 6 rocket, but the capsule remained in orbit after the rocket's upper stage failed to launch it on its reentry trajectory. This latest mission aimed to test key technologies and verify the Nyx capsule's ability to transport cargo to space. It is hoped that future iterations of the capsule will fly spacecraft to destinations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), including the International Space Station (ISS) and/or its successor stations. To this end, the company plans to conduct a demonstration flight to the ISS in 2028, which is pending support from the European Space Agency. In the meantime, the company plans to move forward and incorporate the lessons of this latest mission. The original version of this article was published on Universe Today.
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Space capsule carrying ashes of 166 people meets bizarre end
A space capsule carrying the ashes of 166 people met an anticlimactic fate when it plunged into the Pacific Ocean. The Nyx capsule, launched on June 23 as part of an initiative called 'Mission Possible' by the German start-up The Exploration Company (TEC), was designed to send its passengers on a final journey into space. The capsule was intended to carry the ashes safely back to earth after the flights, fulfilling their dying wishes to finally become astronauts. But after the capsule completed two orbits around Earth 'an anomaly occurred' and the vessel was lost during its planned re-entry into the atmosphere, according to Celestis co-founder and CEO Charles M. Chafer. The mission was carried out in partnership with Celestis, a Texas-based company specializing in space burials. According to TEC, the spacecraft's launch was successful, the payload was powered as expected in orbit, and the spacecraft even re-established communication after a brief blackout during re-entry. However, moments before the capsule was scheduled to splash down and return safely to Earth, the mission hit a wall. TEC revealed that they 'lost communication' with the capsule a few minutes before its scheduled splashdown. 'We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads,' the company, which had celebrated the capsule's previous milestones, said in a statement. TEC said that the payload - along with the remains of the deceased and several other experimental items - was lost in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to human remains, the Nyx capsule carried cannabis plant matter and seeds for a citizen science project called Martian Grow. The initiative aims to study the viability of growing cannabis on Mars, hoping to push the boundaries of space agriculture, according to Popular Mechanics. Despite the loss, Celestis offered consolation to the families of those whose loved ones were aboard the mission. '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,' Chafer wrote. 'While there were many successful milestones achieved - launch, orbit, and controlled reentry - this was the first Celestis mission designed to return from orbit, and we recognize the bravery and ambition it required from all involved,' the Celestis CEO wrote. 'We also recognize that no technical achievement replaces the profound personal meaning this service holds for our families.' TEC, which had only launched one previous capsule before Nyx, acknowledged that while the mission wasn't the complete success they had hoped for, it still represented progress. TEC, which had only launched one previous capsule before Nyx, acknowledged that while the mission wasn't the complete success they had hoped for. Pictured: Celestis' customized, aerospace-grade aluminum flight capsule has been successfully integrated into the container that will be placed aboard the Nyx spacecraft for the upcoming flight Hélène Huby, Founder and CEO of TEC, expressed a mixture of gratitude and regret, saying, 'We are continuing our journey, eager to implement these learnings in our next vehicle. '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.' Celestis has been in contact with the families to offer support. 'We remain committed to serving with transparency, compassion, and care,' Chafer concluded.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Space Capsule Carrying Ashes of Over 160 People Lost After Crashing into Pacific Ocean
The Nyx capsule, which carried the ashes and DNA of 166 deceased participants courtesy of Texas-based company Celestis, crashed into the Pacific Ocean after its June 23 launch 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. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 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.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
160 People Wanted to Be Buried in Space. Their Capsule Slammed Into the Ocean Instead.
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: A spacecraft called the Nyx capsule recently crashed in the Pacific Ocean after the landing parachutes failed to deploy. The capsule carried cargo including cannabis and human remains, all of which were lost in the crash. After apologizing to the families who lost their loved one's remains, the company responsible for the spacecraft said this 'partial success' should serve as an important learning opportunity for future reusable space flight missions. As part of a rideshare mission with SpaceX, the Nyx capsule launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 23rd. The next day, after successfully re-entering the atmosphere on June 24th, the capsule crashed into the Pacific Ocean and lost some unexpected cargo: cannabis and human remains. The Nyx capsule and its launch was part of the program 'Mission Possible' led by a German start-up called The Exploration Company (TEC). The launch marks TEC's second spacecraft to reach orbit in under four years. Now, the cannabis plant matter and seeds weren't for recreational use—they're part of an open-source citizen science project called Martian Grow. The project seeks to understand the effect of microgravity on germination and resilience, potentially shedding light on how life could survive in non-terrestrial environments. The human remains, however, were on the capsule for a much more... wholesome reason: to memorialize loved ones. Celestis—a Texas-based tribute company—provided ashes from over 160 deceased individuals to make the trip into space (sadly, this is not the first time Celestis lost a payload, the first being in 2023 when a rocket carrying a late NASA astronaut's ashes exploded over New Mexico). 'We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads,' TEC wrote in a statement. 'We thank our teams for their hard work and their dedication to success. We have been pushing boundaries in record time and cost. This partial success reflects both ambition and the inherent risks of innovation. Leveraging the technical milestones achieved yesterday and the lessons we will extract from our ongoing investigation, we will then prepare to re-fly as soon as possible.' The founder and CEO of TEC, Hélène Huby, also apologized for the lost cargo, suggesting the mission is something the space tech world can grow from. 'We all hoped for full success; partial success is often part of the road for those who take risks and push boundaries to change the world positively.' she said in a press release. 'I take full responsibility and present my apologies to our customers for not achieving full success.' TEC explained in the press release that the spacecraft crashed because the landing parachutes failed to deploy. In the same release, the company stated the parachute system wasn't drop-tested—a risk that 'lower costs, shorten development time, and yield a deeper understanding of the vehicle with each flight,' according to TEC. The parachute model had previously been used on SpaceX's Dragon. According to TEC, the recent setback won't stop their mission—in fact, it's only helped progress it. 'We are continuing our journey, eager to implement these learnings in our next vehicle,' Huby said in the press release. '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.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
