For generations, people have dreamed of visiting Mars. Now, thanks to a company called Celestis, even those who never make it to the red planet in life can get there after death — in the form of their ashes. The space burial service has announced new missions that will carry human cremains into orbit, to the Moon, or even to Mars itself, fulfilling the ultimate “out-of-this-world” send-off.
Celestis isn’t new to space memorials. Founded in 1994, the company has already launched the ashes of hundreds of people into orbit — including the late “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, actor James Doohan (who played Scotty), and NASA astronauts. But what’s turning heads now is how accessible this once-futuristic option has become. A Mars memorial flight is priced around $24,995 — not exactly pocket change, but less than some funerals and burials on Earth.
There is no set time for when the first Mars mission is launching, but it is likely years in the future. Nevertheless, the company is already taking down payments to reserve spots.
For retirees and older adults who’ve spent a lifetime looking up