Honoring John’s Journey to the Stars
As part of our Ashes to Space™ mission, we spotlight the lives and legacies of those who orbit with us—our Ashtronauts. Each tribute is submitted by loved ones who share a story, photos, and the spirit of someone worth remembering.
Ashtronaut™ is the designation given to individuals honored through Space Beyond’s Ashes to Space memorial spaceflight service.
Today, we honor: Ashtronaut John Getter
From: Middletown · Dayton · Cincinnati · Houston · Las Vegas
Shared by: Pat Getter, Wife
These stories remind us why this mission matters—not just for space exploration, but for love, remembrance, and connection.
Pioneer in Space Media Communications
My husband, John, was living a dream when he became a space reporter for KHOU-TV in Houston. Being an “ashtronaut” will fulfill another dream. I am proud to share these words from his former news director, David Goldberg:
During the course of his career, Getter became a powerful voice in telling the human story of space exploration – translating the vast unknown into vivid, accessible narratives that captivated audiences around the country.
Born with a deep curiosity about the world and the heavens beyond it, Getter began his career in broadcast journalism with a passion for truth and storytelling. His time at KHOU placed him in the heart of Houston’s space culture, where he covered NASA’s first 35 shuttle missions and the ever-evolving landscape of American spaceflight. His work was known for its clarity, its compassion and its ability to connect technical achievements with human emotion.
Getter later served as a producer for ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News, where he continued to shape national coverage of science and space. He was recognized not just as a journalist, but as a bridge – linking science, media and public understanding at a time when space travel was capturing the imagination of the world.
“John never told a story halfway,” one longtime friend said. “He told it from orbit – so we could see the whole picture.”
Getter wrote three books about space: “Moonwalkers: To the Moon – Untold Stories of the Space Race,” Moonwalkers: Star Truck – Untold History of the Space Shuttle” and “Moonwalkers: Timeline – Untold Stores of Space Exploration.”
His legacy lives on in the countless stories he told, the truth he pursued and the stars he helped us all see just a little more clearly.
A Journey Beyond Earth
A portion of John’s ashes will be launched to space aboard our upcoming mission, where they will orbit Earth as part of a lasting celestial tribute.
Whether stargazing from home or tracking the spacecraft through the app, John’s loved ones will be able to follow the journey—knowing that their story is quite literally written in the stars.
Tribute Gallery – Ashtronaut John Getter
Editor’s Note
The following has been gathered from published biographical sources to complement David Goldberg’s tribute above.
John’s journey to Houston began in Cincinnati, where he built a reputation early as a storyteller of rare range. He earned three regional Emmy Awards from the Columbus/Dayton/Cincinnati chapter. His subjects included physicist Edward Teller, who admitted he hated being called the father of the hydrogen bomb, and Neil Armstrong, first human to walk on the moon. It was in Cincinnati that John first witnessed the early tests of what would become the Space Shuttle. That encounter changed the direction of his life.
In Houston, covering space became more than a beat. John flew the Space Shuttle simulator, worked in real spacesuits, and participated in scientific tests that later flew in space. He became NASA’s reporter of choice for pool coverage of the “Vomit Comet” – the zero-gravity aircraft – logging more than 200 minutes of weightlessness. His reports were featured regularly by CBS News and CNN, reaching audiences in more than 135 countries.
The crew of the Challenger’s final mission considered John a personal friend. Commander Dick Scobee had recommended John be allowed to fly aboard the shuttle as the first reporter in space. The Challenger was lost on Jan. 28, 1986. That flight never happened.
John became personally acquainted with every surviving moonwalker, playing a significant role in the official 20th anniversary celebrations of the Apollo program at Johnson Space Center.
After leaving KHOU in 1997, John continued at the national level, producing for ABC News programs including Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and Nightline. He was later recruited to SPACEHAB as a senior vice president of Space Media Inc., where he developed plans for what would have been the first dedicated media facility aboard the International Space Station and was involved in the de-orbiting of the Russian MIR station.
In Las Vegas, John consulted with corporations and leaders on communication and storytelling, served as president of the National Speakers Association Las Vegas Chapter, chairman of the Spring Valley Town Advisory Board, and co-founder of Doberman Rescue of Nevada.
He was a man who spent his life pointing toward the sky.
The next chapter launches October 2027.
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