Frequently Asked Questions
The Basics
Ashes to Space™ is a space memorial service by Space Beyond™ that sends a symbolic portion of cremated remains (called a Celestial Tribute) into Earth orbit. After you order online and prepare the tribute, we integrate it onto an orbital spacecraft and launch it as part of a rideshare mission, creating a lasting tribute among the stars. For more, visit How It Works.
Yes. Ashes to Space™ memorials fly aboard SpaceX Falcon 9, the most flown and most reliable orbital rocket in history, with launch integration by Arrow Science and Technology. Space Beyond was founded by Ryan Mitchell, an aerospace engineer with over two decades of experience across the Space Shuttle program and Blue Origin. Our mission has been featured by TechCrunch, CBS News, USA Today, and SpaceNews.
Fair question, and one we’d ask too. Our first mission is scheduled for October 2027 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare (Transporter-22), integrated by Arrow Science and Technology. SpaceX flies these rideshare missions on a regular, established schedule, and Arrow has deployed over 400 satellites to date. Every mission includes insurance: if the launch doesn’t reach orbit, we will fly another Celestial Tribute on the next available mission at no extra cost to you.
Our standard orbital memorial experience costs $249. We call this the Ashtronaut Program, and it includes the Celestial Tribute kit, launch integration, mission updates, and tracking information. Optional add-ons and upgrades may be available at the time of ordering. To order, visit our Shop.
Yes. You can cancel for a full refund, any time, for any reason, before you send in the ashes or before your inscription is made. No processing fee, no time limit, no questions asked. Once the ashes are sent to us or the inscription is made on the spacecraft, the decision is final, the same way it would be for any physical memorial.
Still Deciding
Check out our What To Do With Cremated Ashes guide. It covers keeping ashes at home, traditional burial, scattering, memorial diamonds and glass art, living memorials like reefs and trees, and space memorials.
You don’t have to be ready to reserve a place. Reserving doesn’t mean you’ve made a final decision. It means you’re holding space for when the time feels right. There’s no deadline pushing you. You can cancel for a full refund any time before we receive the Celestial Tribute back, so there’s no risk in taking as long as you need.
It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. The Celestial Tribute uses only a symbolic portion, less than a gram, so the rest of the ashes stay with your family for whatever else you choose to do. Many families split ashes between more than one memorial: a portion to space, a portion scattered, a portion kept close. You don’t all have to agree on one option. Each portion can be honored in the way that feels right to the person choosing it.
Some traditions, including Catholic teaching, provide specific guidance on how cremated remains should be handled. We respect that deeply. For families whose faith or tradition means sending ashes is not the right path, the Remembrance Roster offers a meaningful alternative: a name physically engraved on the spacecraft, no remains required. If you are uncertain how your tradition applies, your faith community is the right first conversation.
The Celestial Tribute
About one gram. The Celestial Tribute is symbolic by design. The vast majority of the remains stay with you, completely in your control, for whatever else feels right to your family.
We selected the size to provide an affordable opportunity to send a symbolic portion of your loved ones’ remains to space, while retaining the remainder for additional memorial options of your choice.
Accessing space is expensive, but we make it attainable. We work diligently to create this affordable opportunity for you and your loved ones by utilizing existing space launches, limiting Celestial Tribute mass, leveraging economies of scale and commingling, designing and operating simple & elegant spacecraft, and minimizing administrative overhead.
Commingling means that all of the cremated remains fly together in the same container. Think of it like a “space bus” or an UberX Share ride.
Yes. If you prefer, your funeral home can fill the Celestial Tribute vial for you. Many providers offer this at no additional charge. Visit our Resources page for helpful contacts.
The Mission & Launch
Launch dates depend on when your tribute is assigned to a scheduled rideshare mission with our launch provider. Once assigned, we’ll send you a projected launch window and mission details so you can plan accordingly. Our next mission is scheduled to launch in October 2027.
As the launch date approaches, our team will share information on where, when, and how to view the launch, in person and virtually.
Launch vehicles we use, the SpaceX Falcon 9, have strong reliability records. In the unlikely event of a failure, we offer a no-cost re-flight on the next available mission.
Our spacecraft hitch a ride on existing launches (no extra rockets), produce no debris in orbit, and are designed for planned re-entry at the end of the mission. We also offset carbon emissions associated with launch operations.
In Orbit & After
Each memorial stays in orbit for up to 5 years, depending on the final orbit achieved. You’ll receive orbital tracking information so you can follow the journey.
This mission duration was chosen to provide a lasting experience for our clients and Ashtronauts™, while also being good stewards of our space environment.
After approximately five years in orbit, the Remembrance spacecraft naturally reenters Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes completely, appearing briefly as a streak of light, like a shooting star. Because reentry timing and location can’t be precisely predicted or controlled, it’s unlikely any one family will be watching at the exact moment it happens. But it happens all the same: one last journey across the sky.
After orbit insertion is confirmed, we provide final orbital parameters and an easy-to-use tracking method, so you and your family, anywhere in the world, can follow the journey in real time. Orbital tracking is one part of the full Ashtronaut Program included with every mission.
Pets in Space
Yes. Ashes to Space for Pets flies your companion’s ashes in a section built specifically for pets, the same real orbital mission we offer for people, starting at $249. Learn more on our Ashes to Space for Pets page, or read our free guide, Beyond the Rainbow Bridge, which covers every option for a pet’s ashes, not just this one.
Absolutely. Beloved pets and humans can be included together in the designated pet section on the spacecraft.
Other Ways to Take Part
A Hero Tribute™ lets sponsors fund an Ashes to Space memorial for a U.S. Armed Forces veteran at no cost to the family. This program honors military service and ensures heroes’ memories can be celebrated in orbit. For details, visit our Hero Tribute page. Every Hero Tribute includes the full Ashtronaut Program.
Yes. The Remembrance Roster allows participation through name inscriptions and written tributes without any physical remains.