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Mission That Would Take Ashes and DNA of 166 People to Space Ends with a Fall into the Sea After Landing System Failure
The attempt to conduct a space funeral ended tragically for 166 families. The Nyx spacecraft, launched on June 23, fell into the Pacific Ocean after a landing system failure. The equipment was carrying the ashes and DNA of deceased individuals, in a mission aimed at carrying out a burial outside of Earth.
The launch occurred from a base in California, United States. The mission, named “Mission Impossible,” was operated by the startup The Exploration Company, in partnership with Celestis Memorial Spaceflights.
The latter is a company that conducts space flights with memorial payloads, a service that has been gaining popularity in recent years.
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Landing Failure Resulted in Total Loss of Payload
After a successful launch with the SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket, the capsule completed two orbits around the planet.
The reentry into the atmosphere also occurred as planned. However, the parachute system was not activated. Without it, the capsule plunged into the sea, making the recovery of the payload impossible.
According to information from the company itself, the failure occurred in the last phase of the mission. It was Celestis’ first flight with the intention of returning the remains to Earth. About 300 kilograms of ashes and DNA ended up dispersing in the ocean.
Companies Speak of “Partial Success”
In a statement published on LinkedIn, The Exploration Company classified the flight as a “partial success (partial failure).”
The company emphasized that the launch, the orbital entry, and the controlled reentry worked as expected. The problem arose shortly before landing in the sea.
During the mission, there was a moment of communication blackout. When contact began to be reestablished, it was already too late.
The parachute system, designed to allow for a splashdown and subsequent recovery of the capsule, did not function.
This same system had been used in other missions, such as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. On one of those occasions, it was responsible for rescuing two astronauts after nine months trapped in space.
Response from the Companies and History of Failures
Charles M. Chafer, CEO of Celestis, expressed his sorrow over the incident and attempted to console the families. “We hope they find some peace in knowing that their loved ones were part of a historic journey,” he stated in a note. For him, the final destination of the remains resembles an honorable burial at sea.
The company also announced that it will contact all the affected families to provide support and discuss the next steps.
This is not the first time Celestis has faced such a setback. In 2023, a rocket carrying the ashes of astronaut Philip K. Chapman exploded in New Mexico.
Burials in Space: Plans for the Future Continue
Despite the failure, The Exploration Company declared that it intends to continue with its development plans.
The Mission Impossible mission is part of the company’s schedule to validate controlled reentry systems and transport payloads for clients.
In its official statement, the company apologized and emphasized that the lessons learned from the mission will be used for future improvements.
The goal, according to the company, is to reduce risks in upcoming flights and advance the development of new technologies.
With information from Revista Galileu.
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