Space burials are now a thing. Berkeley space scientist Michael Lampton wasn't able to go to outer space when he was alive, but his remains are set to go into orbit next month.
Michael Lampton and More Venture Into Space Burial
Small samples of Lampton's and 233 other people's cremated ashes, contained in a satellite's cargo bay, will travel more than 200 million miles from their home to make massive, endless orbits around the sun in late December on a commercial rocket.
"It's crucial that he is in heaven," said Jennifer Lampton, a computer scientist from Oakland who is still in mourning following her father's death in June at the age of 82. The limits of what we know and don't know captivated him.
The idea of space burials is not new. A few other organizations, such as San Francisco's Elysium Space Inc. and the U.K.-based balloon company Aura Flights, also send loved ones into space, in addition to the Texas-based Celestis, which is managing Lampton's journey.
The flight also includes the remains of other NASA astronauts like Philip Chapman and L. Gordon Cooper; Richard Braastad, whose interstellar "Cosmic Calls" radio messages sought conversations with aliens; and NASA's first female astrogeologist Mareta West, who determined the critical location for the first moon landing.
Along with VFX pioneer Douglas H. Trumbull, who produced the special effects for the science-fiction film "The Andromeda Strain," several members of the "Star Trek" family are also on board, including creator Gene Roddenberry, his widow and actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, actress Nichelle Nichols from "Uhura," actor James Doohan from "Scotty," and visual effects artist Greg Jein.
Dozens more amateur space enthusiasts will be joining them, including a vendor machine manager, a professional baseball player from Japan, a telecommunications engineer, a carpet installer, and a bright young physics student who passed away from injuries incurred in an automobile accident.
In addition, the shipment will contain hair samples from former presidents Washington, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan that have been "authenticated DNA," according to the business. However, one need not be dead to "join" the journey: it is possible to prepare, package, and launch titanium capsules containing DNA extracted from the inside of the mouth into space.
What Happens During in Space Burials
The urns on the mantel in the living room or the burial of the deceased in a formal cemetery are examples of traditional memorials that are becoming less popular. These launches are a part of this trend.
These signify a change in our perspective and application of the sky as well. As the number of orbiters is anticipated to expand by 700% by the end of the decade, the heavens are starting to buzz with satellite activity.
A total of 2,000 small aluminum pills containing ash have been launched by Celestis since 1997. A thumbtack's worth of residue is contained in each capsule, which is about the size of a watch battery. Ash remains within the capsule and is not expelled.
The corpses of several pets, including the cat Pikachu, the assistance dog Indica-Noodle, the Shiba Inu named Laika (after the well-known Russian canine cosmonaut), and the yellow lab Quazar, are found on some of the trips.
Celestis offers a unique and compelling memorial experience. It travels through deep space with the participants' DNA or cremated remains for an infinite journey of tribute and remembrance.
By launching the Celestis spaceship, which can carry DNA or cremated ashes, on a permanent cosmic trip far beyond our Earth-Moon system, the Voyager service is a true exploration expedition. Being among the first humans to travel this far from home is this first Celestis Voyager Service.
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