Celestis

Celestis is a company that offers memorial spaceflights. Founded in 1994, it provides a service where a portion of a person's cremated remains can be sent into space. This can involve a brief suborbital flight, an orbital mission around Earth, or a deep space mission.

The process begins with the cremation of the individual. A small amount of the ashes, typically a gram or two, is then sealed into a specialized capsule. This capsule is then integrated into a payload for a rocket launch. The type of launch chosen determines the destination of the ashes. Suborbital flights reach the edge of space and return to Earth, while orbital missions circle the planet for a period before eventually re-entering the atmosphere. Deep space missions are designed to travel beyond Earth's orbit, with past missions having sent remains towards the Moon, and even further into the solar system.

Celestis has partnered with various space launch providers for its missions. These missions have carried the remains of notable figures, including rocket scientist Gerard O'Neill and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. The company aims to provide a unique and lasting way for individuals to be memorialized among the stars. The service is presented as a final journey, fulfilling a desire for connection with space and the cosmos.