Space capsule carrying ashes of 166 people meets bizarre end
The Nyx capsule, launched on June 23 as part of an initiative called 'Mission Possible' by the German start-up The Exploration Company (TEC), was designed to send its passengers on a final journey into space.
The capsule was intended to carry the ashes safely back to earth after the flights, fulfilling their dying wishes to finally become astronauts.
But after the capsule completed two orbits around Earth 'an anomaly occurred' and the vessel was lost during its planned re-entry into the atmosphere, according to Celestis co-founder and CEO Charles M. Chafer.
The mission was carried out in partnership with Celestis, a Texas-based company specializing in space burials.
According to TEC, the spacecraft's launch was successful, the payload was powered as expected in orbit, and the spacecraft even re-established communication after a brief blackout during re-entry.
However, moments before the capsule was scheduled to splash down and return safely to Earth, the mission hit a wall.
TEC revealed that they 'lost communication' with the capsule a few minutes before its scheduled splashdown.
'We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads,' the company, which had celebrated the capsule's previous milestones, said in a statement.
TEC said that the payload - along with the remains of the deceased and several other experimental items - was lost in the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to human remains, the Nyx capsule carried cannabis plant matter and seeds for a citizen science project called Martian Grow.
The initiative aims to study the viability of growing cannabis on Mars, hoping to push the boundaries of space agriculture, according to Popular Mechanics.
Despite the loss, Celestis offered consolation to the families of those whose loved ones were aboard the mission.
'Though we currently believe that we cannot return the flight capsules, we hope families will find some peace in knowing their loved ones were part of a historic journey, launched into space, orbited Earth, and are now resting in the vastness of the Pacific, akin to a traditional and honored sea scattering,' Chafer wrote.
'While there were many successful milestones achieved - launch, orbit, and controlled reentry - this was the first Celestis mission designed to return from orbit, and we recognize the bravery and ambition it required from all involved,' the Celestis CEO wrote.
'We also recognize that no technical achievement replaces the profound personal meaning this service holds for our families.'
TEC, which had only launched one previous capsule before Nyx, acknowledged that while the mission wasn't the complete success they had hoped for, it still represented progress.
TEC, which had only launched one previous capsule before Nyx, acknowledged that while the mission wasn't the complete success they had hoped for. Pictured: Celestis' customized, aerospace-grade aluminum flight capsule has been successfully integrated into the container that will be placed aboard the Nyx spacecraft for the upcoming flight
Hélène Huby, Founder and CEO of TEC, expressed a mixture of gratitude and regret, saying, 'We are continuing our journey, eager to implement these learnings in our next vehicle.
'We will learn from Mission Possible and improve, together as a team. I express my profound gratitude to The Exploration Company's team members who are demonstrating outstanding solidarity, resilience, and commitment to the success of our mission.'
Celestis has been in contact with the families to offer support.
'We remain committed to serving with transparency, compassion, and care,' Chafer concluded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Space capsule carrying ashes of 166 people meets bizarre end
A space capsule carrying the ashes of 166 people met an anticlimactic fate when it plunged into the Pacific Ocean. The Nyx capsule, launched on June 23 as part of an initiative called 'Mission Possible' by the German start-up The Exploration Company (TEC), was designed to send its passengers on a final journey into space. The capsule was intended to carry the ashes safely back to earth after the flights, fulfilling their dying wishes to finally become astronauts. But after the capsule completed two orbits around Earth 'an anomaly occurred' and the vessel was lost during its planned re-entry into the atmosphere, according to Celestis co-founder and CEO Charles M. Chafer. The mission was carried out in partnership with Celestis, a Texas-based company specializing in space burials. According to TEC, the spacecraft's launch was successful, the payload was powered as expected in orbit, and the spacecraft even re-established communication after a brief blackout during re-entry. However, moments before the capsule was scheduled to splash down and return safely to Earth, the mission hit a wall. TEC revealed that they 'lost communication' with the capsule a few minutes before its scheduled splashdown. 'We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads,' the company, which had celebrated the capsule's previous milestones, said in a statement. TEC said that the payload - along with the remains of the deceased and several other experimental items - was lost in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to human remains, the Nyx capsule carried cannabis plant matter and seeds for a citizen science project called Martian Grow. The initiative aims to study the viability of growing cannabis on Mars, hoping to push the boundaries of space agriculture, according to Popular Mechanics. Despite the loss, Celestis offered consolation to the families of those whose loved ones were aboard the mission. 'Though we currently believe that we cannot return the flight capsules, we hope families will find some peace in knowing their loved ones were part of a historic journey, launched into space, orbited Earth, and are now resting in the vastness of the Pacific, akin to a traditional and honored sea scattering,' Chafer wrote. 'While there were many successful milestones achieved - launch, orbit, and controlled reentry - this was the first Celestis mission designed to return from orbit, and we recognize the bravery and ambition it required from all involved,' the Celestis CEO wrote. 'We also recognize that no technical achievement replaces the profound personal meaning this service holds for our families.' TEC, which had only launched one previous capsule before Nyx, acknowledged that while the mission wasn't the complete success they had hoped for, it still represented progress. TEC, which had only launched one previous capsule before Nyx, acknowledged that while the mission wasn't the complete success they had hoped for. Pictured: Celestis' customized, aerospace-grade aluminum flight capsule has been successfully integrated into the container that will be placed aboard the Nyx spacecraft for the upcoming flight Hélène Huby, Founder and CEO of TEC, expressed a mixture of gratitude and regret, saying, 'We are continuing our journey, eager to implement these learnings in our next vehicle. 'We will learn from Mission Possible and improve, together as a team. I express my profound gratitude to The Exploration Company's team members who are demonstrating outstanding solidarity, resilience, and commitment to the success of our mission.' Celestis has been in contact with the families to offer support. 'We remain committed to serving with transparency, compassion, and care,' Chafer concluded.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Watch: Mysterious interstellar object passes through our solar system
A mysterious interstellar object, named 3I/ATLAS, has been observed travelling through our solar system. Images from the Canary Islands Institute of Physics captured the object, which Nasa has confirmed is only the third interstellar object ever seen. Nasa said that 3I/ATLAS will pass Earth at a distance of approximately 150 million miles, posing no threat to the planet. The object is expected to be visible to ground-based telescopes through September, reappearing in early December for its closest approach to Earth. Watch the video in full above.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Mystery 12-mile-wide ‘fuzzy object with a tail' spotted blazing through our solar system at 37 miles a SECOND, Nasa says
A MYSTERIOUS cosmic object has been spotted zooming through our solar system - and astronomers say it is only the third of its kind. The "fuzzy" object with a "short tail" is no fur-ball alien, but instead a large icy comet from interstellar space. 6 6 6 6 The celestial visitor is only the third interstellar object on record to grace our solar system, and is also likely the largest yet detected. It follows the rare visits from the famous 1I/ʻOumuamua asteroid in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. "The fact that we see some fuzziness suggests that it is mostly ice rather than mostly rock," Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told AFP. Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which was responsible for the official confirmation, added: "It looks kind of fuzzy... It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail." The 12-mile-wide comet, known originally as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, is blazing through the solar system at great speed. While astronomers are still refining their calculations, the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) a second. 6 The comet poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency (ESA). It's closest approach of Earth, which is projected to occur in late October, will see it pass "just inside the orbit of Mars," according to Moissl. It will pass our blue dot no closer than 240 million kilometres – over 1.5 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. By the time it does make its closest path of Earth, it will be hidden by the Sun - meaning stargazers will have no chance of spotting it in the night sky. Incredible moment a fireball comet is spotted racing past stunning aurora towards Earth While it is expected to reappear by early December, this will only offer astronomers another window for study. The comet was first spotted on 1 July by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile. Its unusual trajectory immediately raised suspicions that the comet came from an unknown world in interstellar space. Its current path "means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again," according to Moissl. What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet? Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa... Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth) Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vaporizing) ESA's Planetary Defence Office, tasked with safeguarding Earth from potential asteroid and comet impacts, alerted astronomers who can now track the comet's path. These efforts are part of ESA's broader mission to detect, track, and characterise near-Earth objects. "What makes interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS so extraordinary is their absolutely foreign nature," ESA wrote in a recent blog post. "They are remnants of other planetary systems, carrying with them clues about the formation of worlds far beyond our own. "It may be thousands of years until humans visit a planet in another solar system and interstellar comets offer the tantalising opportunity for us to touch something truly otherworldly." That's why the space agency is preparing the Comet Interceptor mission for 2029. ESA is set to send a spacecraft into a parking orbit in space to wait for a suitable target comet – or even a rare interstellar object - to retrieve samples from. 6
