Steve Nelson, a man from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, fulfilled his lifelong dream of going to outer space after passing away in 2023 due to complications from diabetes. His family worked with Celestis, a company that has been sending the remains of loved ones into space since 1997.
Nelson was an avid science fiction fan, inspired by Star Wars and Star Trek. After his death, some of his ashes were sent into space along with the remains of 166 people on a capsule carried by a rocket launched from the Canary Islands. The capsule orbited the Earth several times before re-entering the atmosphere in 2002.
Unfortunately, when the parachute attached to the capsule broke during descent, it crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and Nelson’s ashes were lost along with the remains of 165 others. Celestis offered his family a free flight on a new mission, but they declined.
Nelson’s wife, Karin, described her husband’s achievement as a “win” in her book, saying he would be smiling knowing his science fiction became science fact. She added that while she was both uplifted and upset by the outcome, it was ultimately a testament to her husband’s determination and love for space exploration.
Source: https://www.wral.com/news/local/steve-nelson-ashes-launched-space-fuquay-varina-june-2025