A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a Transporter-14 rideshare mission on Monday, carrying the remains of over 160 people and other payloads into low-Earth orbit. The largest payload, Nyx, was a 1.6-ton reentry capsule designed to carry ashes and DNA back to families after a brief space journey. However, during reentry, its parachute system failed, causing it to crash into the Pacific Ocean.
Celestis, the company behind the mission, announced that they will not be able to recover or return the flight capsules. They share in the disappointment of their families and offer support. The company’s statement noted that while the mission was a partial success, communication lost shortly before splashdown, and an investigation is ongoing.
The capsule also carried cannabis provided by Martian Grow for scientific research on its germination and resilience in microgravity. Unfortunately, the cannabis was lost at sea along with the rest of Nyx’s payloads. The Exploration Company, which launched the mission, deemed it a partial success but acknowledged the issue that led to the loss.
This incident marks the second time a Celestis mission has failed, following a UP Aerospace rocket explosion in May 2023. Despite this setback, The Exploration Company plans to conduct ground tests for some of Nyx’s subsystems before its next demonstration flight to the International Space Station in 2028.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/failed-space-mission-loses-human-remains-space-pot-2000620216