{"id":153108,"date":"2025-07-03T19:02:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T19:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/celestis-promised-an-unforgettable-tribute-in-space-a-european-capsule-concluded-its-journey-among-the-stars-with-human-remains-inside\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T19:02:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T19:02:27","slug":"celestis-promised-an-unforgettable-tribute-in-space-a-european-capsule-concluded-its-journey-among-the-stars-with-human-remains-inside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/celestis-promised-an-unforgettable-tribute-in-space-a-european-capsule-concluded-its-journey-among-the-stars-with-human-remains-inside\/","title":{"rendered":"Celestis promised an unforgettable tribute in space. A European capsule concluded its journey among the stars with human remains inside."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The idea is, at least, singular: send a small symbolic portion of the \u00a0cremated remains\u00a0 or a person’s \u00a0DNA\u00a0 to space. That a part of what was a human body experiences \u00a0zero gravity\u00a0, goes around the Earth, and becomes a relic for the family. A capsule that acts as a \u00a0space urn\u00a0. That’s how it is Earth Rise<\/a>, one of the services it offers Celestis<\/a>, an American company with more than 30 years of experience in this business that they define as ”\u00a0perseverance flights\u00a0.”<\/p>\n

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But this time, not everything went as expected. On June 23, an \u00a0Earth Rise\u00a0 mission transported 166 capsules with human remains and DNA samples. The take-off onboard a \u00a0Falcon 9\u00a0 rocket from \u00a0SpaceX\u00a0 was successful. The capsule, developed by the European company The Exploration Company<\/a>, managed to enter orbit and completed two laps around the planet, fulfilling the planned flight profile. So far, everything was proceeding as planned.<\/p>\n

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However, something failed during the \u00a0reentry process\u00a0. The NYX capsule, which had to return to Earth and deliver its individual modules to each family, \u00a0suffered an anomaly\u00a0. The vehicle was lost shortly after starting its descent, ultimately crashing into the \u00a0Pacific Ocean\u00a0. With it, human remains and flight capsules also dispersed. “We believe we can’t recover anything,” recognized Celestis<\/a> in a statement.<\/p>\n

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\"Celestis<\/p>\n

    <span>The Celestis container with human remains that traveled inside the NYX capsule<\/span><\/code><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The origin of Celestis<\/a> goes back to 1992, when \u00a0NASA\u00a0 included a sample of the remains of \u00a0Gene Roddenberry\u00a0, creator of ‘\u00a0Star Trek\u00a0‘, in a mission of the Columbia \u00a0ferry\u00a0. Shortly after, \u00a0Celestis\u00a0 collaborated with the agency to send remains of \u00a0geologist Eugene Shoemaker\u00a0 to the moon, making him the first buried person there.<\/p>\n
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Since then, they say, they have sent more than 1,200 capsules to space aboard commercial releases, commemorating both known figures and anonymous citizens. They have various active services: \u00a0suborbital flights\u00a0 that return to Earth, missions to the lunar orbit, and even to \u00a0deep space\u00a0.<\/p>\n
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Earth Rise: A Farewell with Round-Trip Ticket<\/h2>\n
Celestis offers several types of commemorative spatial flights, but \u00a0Earth Rise\u00a0 is the most economical and direct. For \u00a0$3,495\u00a0, the company launches a small capsule with cremated remains or DNA. After experiencing several minutes in \u00a0microgravity\u00a0, the capsule returns to Earth and becomes a souvenir for family members. It is a trajectory that seeks symbolism, not permanence.<\/p>\n
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For those seeking something more ambitious, there are also other options:<\/p>\n