In June 2025, SpaceX’s Transporter 14 will carry over 150 capsules containing DNA and human remains to low Earth orbit, marking a significant milestone in space exploration and memorial services. This mission is the latest endeavor by Celestis, a Houston-based company offering space burial services since 1994.
Celestis has sent the remains of notable figures into space before, including celebrities and former U.S. Presidents. The upcoming Perseverance Flight will carry capsules with DNA from people worldwide, with a special tribute to Matteo Barth, the youngest German to send his DNA into space. This marks a new chapter for Celestis, as they partner with The Exploration Company to offer an expanded Earth Rise mission.
As part of this partnership, Celestis and TEC will demonstrate a spacecraft demonstration mission before launching its Nyx Earth Orbital Launch Vehicle in 2028. For TEC, this is its debut in transporting customer payloads to orbit. Charles Chafer, co-founder and CEO of Celestis, says the new mission will create a “spectacular liftoff and recovery experience” for participants.
For those who have chosen space burial, this mission represents a unique personal journey. The inclusion of the Mission Possible capsule adds an emotional element, allowing family members to connect with their loved ones through space. Matteo Barth’s inclusion is especially moving, as he will symbolically join his late grandfather in space, reflecting his lifelong fascination with space exploration.
The Perseverance Flight will carry capsules into low Earth orbit, where they will complete two to three orbits before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The participants’ families will then be able to recover their loved ones as mementos.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/06/celestis-capsules-human-remains-dna-space