Celestis, a pioneer in space-burial services since 1994, has partnered with European spacecraft manufacturer The Exploration Company (TEC) for its latest launch, the “Mission Possible” flight. This collaboration marks the first time that TEC will host a Celestis Memorial Spaceflight payload on one of its missions.
The Perseverance Flight, set to blast off on June 23, 2025, at 5:18 p.m. EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, will carry over 150 flight capsules containing cremated remains and DNA samples from customers worldwide. These capsules will reach low Earth orbit, complete two or three circuits of the planet, before reentering the atmosphere, where they will splash down in the Pacific Ocean.
This mission is significant not only for Celestis but also for its client, Matteo Barth, who at just three years old became the youngest European to have his DNA sent into space. His symbolic remains are among those on board, honoring his late grandfather Dieter Barth’s lifelong interest in space exploration.
The “Mission Possible” flight is TEC’s second demonstrator mission prior to its inaugural launch of the Nyx Earth orbital launch vehicle, scheduled for 2028. Celestis has completed over 25 space missions and will mark this as its 12th “Earth Rise” flight with this collaboration.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/spacexs-transporter-14-launch-on-june-21-will-carry-more-than-150-capsules-of-dna-human-remains