Latest news with #PerseveranceFlight
India Today
07-07-2025
- Science
- India Today
Where are the dead? Remains of 166 people sent to space lost in the ocean
A space memorial mission that aimed to send the remains of 166 people into orbit ended in disappointment and loss, after the capsule carrying the ashes crashed into the Pacific Ocean and became mission, a collaboration between Houston-based space burial company Celestis and European partner The Exploration Company, was part of SpaceX's Transporter 14 rideshare launch on June 23, flight, named the Perseverance Flight, was designed to offer families a unique cosmic tribute, sending cremated remains and DNA samples into low Earth orbit, where they would circle the planet before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down for recovery. This was to be Celestis' 25th mission and its 12th 'Earth Rise' flight, a service that allows families to retrieve a keepsake that has truly travelled through the memorial took a tragic turn when the capsule failed to complete its planned return and instead plunged into the depths of the confirmed that the remains are now lost at sea and cannot be recovered. 'No technical achievement replaces the profound personal meaning this service holds for our families,' said Celestis CEO Charles M. Chafer, acknowledging the emotional weight of the mission carried a diverse array of tributes, including ashes and DNA from people around the world, and even honored the youngest German to send his DNA into space, Matteo the years, Celestis has sent the remains of celebrities, scientists, and ordinary individuals into space, offering a new way to memorialise loved ones beyond Earth's the setback, The Exploration Company has vowed to learn from the experience and attempt another launch in the loss highlights both the promise and the risks of space memorial services, which have grown in popularity as more families seek extraordinary ways to commemorate their loved now, the remains of those aboard the Perseverance Flight rest at the bottom of the Pacific.- Ends
NDTV
23-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Transporter-14 Mission: SpaceX To Launch Capsules Of DNA, Human Remains Into Space
SpaceX is set to launch the Transporter-14 rideshare mission on a Falcon 9 rocket on Monday (June 23), carrying capsules containing DNA samples and cremated remains from people around the world, reported. The samples will be onboard the Perseverance Flight, which is a project by Celestis, a Houston-based company, that offers a unique way to honour loved ones. The Perseverance Flight will carry more than 150 capsules with samples. The company said that after reaching space, the capsules will return to Earth aboard their recovery vehicle. The memorial capsules will land safely in the Pacific Ocean, where they will be recovered and returned to the family as a "lasting tribute" to their loved one's journey among the stars. The flight will travel at 17,000 miles per hour and achieve Low Earth Orbit after its launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It will complete two to three full orbits around Earth before gently re-entering the atmosphere. The development highlights the trend of space burial, which has happened in the past. Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, was the first person to have his remains buried in space in 1992. Eugene Merle Shoemaker, a renowned astronaut, was the first person to have his remains buried on the Moon. Timothy Leary, a psychologist and philosopher, also had his remains launched into space. In an X post, SpaceX updated that the launch date was changed from Sunday to Monday due to unfavourable weather. Due to unfavorable weather, now targeting Monday, June 23 for launch of the Transporter-14 mission from California → — SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 22, 2025 Celestis announced that it has entered into a new launch service in collaboration with The Exploration Company (TEC) - a European spacecraft manufacturer. "Celestis is pleased to offer a new type of Earth Rise mission, thanks to The Exploration Company," Charles Chafer, the company's co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. "Our participants' capsules will orbit the Earth and return via the Mission Possible capsule, creating a spectacular liftoff and recovery experience." What is space burial, and what are the common methods to do it? The space burial is a unique way to honour the loved ones by launching cremated remains into space. Earth Orbit: Remains are launched into orbit around the Earth, where they stay for some time before burning up upon re-entry. Moon Burial: Remains are taken to the lunar surface, providing a lasting tribute. Deep Space: Remains are launched into deep space, travelling beyond the solar system. Suborbital Flights: Short flights that cross the boundary of space without reaching orbital velocity, often returning to Earth.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
SpaceX to launch 150 capsules of ashes and DNA into space; here's why people are doing it
Image: TEC In a mission that blends space exploration with personal tribute, SpaceX is preparing to launch over 150 capsules containing cremated human remains and DNA samples into low Earth orbit on June 23. The launch is part of the Transporter 14 rideshare mission and features a collaboration between Houston-based space burial company Celestis and European spacecraft firm The Exploration Company (TEC). Dubbed the Perseverance Flight, the symbolic journey allows families from around the world to send loved ones, or a piece of themselves, into space, either in memoriam or as a legacy of cosmic curiosity. This unique mission will orbit Earth before reentering and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX mission turns final farewells into orbital journeys Since 1994, Celestis has pioneered space burial services , offering people the chance to honour their loved ones with a final journey beyond Earth. The Perseverance Flight represents the company's 25th mission and 12th 'Earth Rise' flight, in which remains are sent into orbit and then returned. Unlike deep space or lunar memorials, this Earth orbit mission allows the capsules to be recovered, giving families a keepsake that has truly travelled through space. A diverse passenger list, from pets to presidents by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo Celestis has previously flown the remains and DNA of celebrities, pets, and even historical icons. Past missions have included symbolic remains of U.S. presidents like George Washington and John F. Kennedy, as well as Star Trek legends such as Gene Roddenberry and Nichelle Nichols. This time, among the participants is 3-year-old Matteo Barth, who will become the youngest European to send DNA into space, symbolically joining his late grandfather, a space enthusiast. How the mission works The memorial capsules will be housed inside TEC's Mission Possible spacecraft, which will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. After reaching orbit, the capsule will complete two or three circuits around Earth before reentry. The payload will then splash down in the Pacific, where recovery teams will retrieve it and return the capsules to families as space-flown mementoes. Why people are choosing space burials For many, sending DNA or ashes into space offers a meaningful, personalised way to honour someone who loved science, exploration, or the cosmos. Others see it as a way to symbolically become part of humanity's spacefaring future. The act turns remembrance into an extraordinary voyage, often fulfilling lifelong dreams of touching the stars, if only in symbolic form. This is TEC's second demonstration mission before the debut of its Nyx Earth orbital vehicle, planned to dock with the ISS by 2028. For Celestis, the partnership represents new possibilities in accessible space memorials. As commercial spaceflight becomes more routine, missions like this reflect how deeply space has entered the realm of human storytelling and legacy.
India Today
23-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
SpaceX to launch 150 capsules with cremated human remains to space
SpaceX is set to launch its Transporter-14 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, marking another development in the growing field of memorial the dozens of payloads on board, the Perseverance Flight, a project by Houston-based company Celestis, will carry more than 150 capsules containing cremated human remains and DNA samples from clients around the Perseverance Flight is designed as a unique memorial experience. After reaching low Earth orbit, the capsule will complete two or three circuits around the planet before reentering the atmosphere. The memorial capsules, protected inside the Mission Possible reentry vehicle, will then splash down in the Pacific teams will retrieve the capsules and return them to clients as cherished keepsakes, offering families a tangible connection to their loved ones' journey through Sunday, June 22 for a Falcon 9 launch of the Transporter-14 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. Teams are keeping an eye on weather SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 21, 2025This mission marks Celestis' 12th 'Earth Rise' flight and its 25th overall space mission, reflecting the company's growing role in the memorial spaceflight is pleased to offer a new type of Earth Rise mission, thanks to The Exploration Company,' said Charles Chafer, Celestis co-founder and CEO. 'Our participants' capsules will orbit the Earth and return via the Mission Possible capsule, creating a spectacular liftoff and recovery experience'.The Falcon 9 booster, B1071, will follow a southward trajectory after launch to place its rideshare payloads into Sun-synchronous orbit before landing on the 'Of Course I Still Love You' droneship in the those making history on this flight is three-year-old Matteo Barth, who will become the youngest German—and the youngest European overall—to send his DNA into space, symbolically joining his late grandfather, Dieter Barth, in this mission, SpaceX and Celestis continue to expand the possibilities for personal memorials, blending cutting-edge space technology with deeply personal human Watch
New York Post
21-06-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Dog's ashes among dozens to rocket into orbit this weekend
Bone voyage! A beloved dog named Franz will take his final leap this weekend — into Earth's orbit. The yellow labrador's ashes will be on board the inaugural Perseverance Flight from Texas-based Celestis Inc., which is scheduled to launch around 5:30 p.m. Sunday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, CA. 4 Franz was like a sibling to Elizabeth Moore before he died at age 13 in October 2020. Celestis, Inc Carrying a total of 166 titanium and aluminum capsules, each about a quarter to a half-inch in size and filled with DNA or cremated remains, the 23-foot-tall SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will take two trips around Earth's low orbit at a mind-boggling 17,000 mph. The space flight will last about three hours before the rocket — still carrying its priceless payload — re-enters the atmosphere and lands in the Pacific Ocean somewhere between Alaska and Hawaii, according to Celestis CEO and co-founder Charles Chafer. A recovery ship, which was already out at sea Friday in anticipation of the launch, 'will track the incoming rocket, hopefully get a visual on it, and then go pick it up out of the ocean,' Chafer explained. 4 The Texas-based company Celestis Inc.'s inaugural Perseverance Flight will take two trips around Earth's Lower Orbit after blastoff on Sunday. The capsules will first be transported to Germany, then, within two months, distributed back to the families, who each paid a whopping $3,500 to send their loved one to the stars. While the price to send Franz on the voyage was 'a lot more' than the pooch itself, his owner, Harvin Moore, said with a laugh, it was only fitting for the 'space-fanatic' Moore family to send the pup beyond the stratosphere. 'He was the best dog, just so soft and nice and loved hugs,' recalled Moore, 60, who lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, just outside Austin. 4 The Moore family can't wait to watch their beloved pooch go galactic. Celestis, Inc Franz, who was 13 when he died in October 2020, was more like a sibling than a pet to Moore's now 26-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Quinn, 21, he said. Now, the family can't wait to watch the good boy go galactic. 'The emotional power of being with a group of people who are celebrating the life of a loved one in this way … it's amazing. It's nothing we'll ever forget,' said Moore. 'It's just pure joy.' 4 The Perseverance Flight will carry a total of 166 titanium and aluminum capsules, ranging in size from a quarter to a half-inch, filled with DNA or cremated remains. Celestis, Inc 'Many people whose ashes and DNA are flying are people that always wanted to go to space in their lifetime but were never able to do that. It also helps families move from feelings of grief to joy,' Chafer said. The cremated remains of Wesley Dreyer — an aerospace engineer who helped investigate the cause of the Space Shuttle Challenger's shocking explosion after takeoff on Jan. 28, 1986 — will also be on board the Perseverance Flight, as well as DNA from a living, 3-year-old German boy.
