Launch of service to scatter ashes into space

Families can organize a special send-off for their loved ones thanks to a new service from Ascension Flights.

Ascension Flights offers space transportation service for cremated remains. Photo: Ascension Flights.

Ascension Flights will launch a space-scattering service next month, the Telegraph reported on October 5. Families will be able to fly their loved ones’ ashes to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere, where they will be dispersed by winds high in the stratosphere.

Ascension Flights has conducted several tests with weather balloons, which are used for meteorological surveys, at altitudes of about 34 kilometers. Tests with ash have often shown that ash particles released from containers can rise into the upper atmosphere, even escaping Earth’s gravity and floating in the vacuum of space.

Many of the first generation of space enthusiasts who dreamed of flying into space will never be able to experience the feeling of looking down on Earth from above and fulfilling their dream. "The new service will give families the opportunity to fulfill the wishes of their loved ones. It is a final send-off for people who have lived a full life," said Dr. Chris Rose, co-founder of the company.

They will also film the ceremony in the sky so friends and family can watch as the ashes are scattered into space. Any remaining moisture in the urn will instantly freeze, creating a sparkling beam of light. The empty urn will then fall back to Earth and be recovered using a specialized tracking system.

Image of a weather balloon exploding in the air. Photo: Ascension Flights.

Ascension Flights has been in talks with a number of funeral directors in the UK. The first ceremony is scheduled for November and will use the Ascension 1, a special aircraft. The company said the service has received a lot of interest, with an initial price of £750.

“Everyone has experienced the loss of someone they love. Several members of our team have lost loved ones in the past few years, which made the project more personal,” Dr Rose shared.

"Grief is a powerful and unpredictable emotion, and the remains of a deceased loved one are precious to the living. We want to ensure we can provide a consistent and trustworthy service before opening it to the public," he added.

To carry out the project, Ascension Flights developed and tested the aerial ash scattering method for more than two years, studying funeral rites and learning how to handle ashes from experts.

According to VNE