(NewsNation) — A unique cosmic tribute is set to unfold as a spaceflight company prepares to mark a symbolic journey into outer space akin to a celestial message in a bottle, honoring loved ones and commemorating American leaders.
Celestis Memorial Spaceflight’s unique mission, slated for next Monday in Cape Canaveral, Florida, will launch authenticated samples from U.S. Presidents George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy into outer space.
The capsules, ranging in size from a lipstick container to half a watch battery, will be attached to commercial space flights. They’ll embark on their very first deep space voyager called “Enterprise” going past the moon, and orbiting around the sun.
Within the time capsule resides the DNA and cremated remains of more than 200 people, including Star Trek creator Eugene Roddenberry and actors from the original cast including Nichelle Nicholas, who played Lt. Uhura, James Doohan, who played chief engineer Scotty, and DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. McCoy.
“We looked at the provenance and we thought … How cool would it be to have three presidents on board with the cast of Star Trek, NASA astronauts, scientists, and people from 30 countries all going to space?” said Celestis co-founder and CEO Charles Chafer.
Historian and DNA expert Keith Beutler said the hair samples were gifted to Celestis from an anonymous donor and have been certified.
“In a sense, the veneration of relics and interest in American patriotism and joining that there will be a lock of hair of John F. Kennedy, who saw space as the new frontier, and Dwight Eisenhower, who signed in 1958 the legislation that gave us NASA,” Butler said.
However, some critics are concerned these memorials could add more “space junk,” human-made debris left in space.
Celestis asserts their missions are environmentally conscious, with flight capsules permanently attached to the spacecraft and never “released” into the space environment. This upcoming mission is set to orbit around the sun, not Earth.
For some, space travel may have been unreachable in life, but in death, the stars await.
Oren Whyche-Shaw was married to her husband Bill Shaw for 20 years. Although he didn’t achieve his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut, his wife sent his ashes into the galaxy in 2017.
“it just makes me feel good. I mean it’s what Bill would have wanted, and if he wanted it, I want it for him. This is part of our ongoing relationship,” Whyche-Shaw said.
Now, she’s sending her DNA onboard the enterprise flight in hopes of reuniting with her husband.
“We deal with a lot of grief; we deal with a lot of people who are suffering their loss and on their journeys. Through that, we can’t end their grief, but you will never see as much high-fiving or seeing at any other funeral service than you see at ours,” Chafer said.