At Space Beyond, we believe in leaving a beautiful legacy—both in the stars and on Earth. That’s why our products are designed to have a net-positive impact on our planet, making them the world’s first carbon negative space memorials. As a small and lean team, we limit our carbon footprint, every step of the way. But we don’t stop there. By leveraging the reusable Falcon 9 rocket and partnering with TerraPass, we minimize emissions and actively offset more than we produce, celebrating life’s most precious memories in a planet-friendly way.
The Environmental Impact of Space Launches
Our journey to sustainability starts with understanding the environmental impact of space launches. The Falcon 9, built by SpaceX, is a marvel of modern engineering that is improving the entire launch industry. Featuring a reusable first stage and payload fairing, Falcon 9 reduces manufacturing emissions by up to 78% and significantly reduces the overall carbon footprint compared to traditional rockets.
We’ve meticulously calculated this impact, accounting for all aspects of manufacturing, launch, recovery, and refurbishment. We’ve considered technical details such as material production, facility utilities, transportation, testing, fuels, recovery ship operations, and stratospheric black carbon, to name a few.
Launching a rocket is an impressive feat, but it does create a bit of an environmental impact. Every Falcon 9 mission produces a total of approximately 888 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), according to our calculations. That’s roughly the equivalent of traveling 2.3 million miles in a passenger car, according to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
Creating Carbon Negative Space Memorials
Space Beyond is committed to democratizing space access, responsibly. We’re doing this through rideshare missions, which consolidate multiple payloads into a single launch, substantially reducing the per-mission carbon footprint. Our satellite, carrying your loved one’s Celestial Tribute, represents only a small fraction of the rocket’s total emissions.
For every launch, we purchase carbon offsets from TerraPass, at no added cost to our clients. These offsets fund impactful projects, like reforesting Maine’s logging-scarred landscapes and capturing landfill gas in Texas, restoring ecosystems and supporting communities throughout the United States and around the world.
By offsetting more emissions than we produce, each launch is carbon negative. Your tribute is planet-friendly, honoring your loved ones without burdening the planet. Your choice to fly with Space Beyond is one to be proud of.
Why We Chose TerraPass
We chose TerraPass for their transparency and impactful projects. From reforestation to renewable energy, their initiatives are vetted for measurable carbon reductions, verified by Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard, Climate Action Reserve, and American Carbon Registry. This reflects our commitment to accountability. Learn more about the current projects at TerraPass.com.
The Circle of Life and Regeneration
Losing a loved one can be a profoundly difficult experience. Yet, there is something poetically restorative about creation and regeneration after a loved one’s passing. Our carbon negative space memorials honor this truth, investing in new forests and clean energy. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, once said “We’ve sent robotic probes to every planet in our solar system. This one is the best. It’s not even close!” Together, we are fostering a healthier Earth for generations to come.
Take Action: How You Can Help
When you choose Space Beyond, you’re not only giving a loved one a final cosmic journey—you’re also helping to improve our planet.
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