We occasionally share cremation remains ideas – such as using cremated remains in artwork or turned into jewelry – but if you have loftier plans, perhaps you’d be interested in sending your cremated remains to space.
Yes, there are those who desire their remains scattered at a special place that had special meaning for them when they were alive – like outer space.
You can now travel into space post mortem. Companies such as Elysium Space will blast your cremated remains into space. “Instead of looking down upon the earth in reminiscence, we can raise our eyes to the eternal wonders within the night sky, knowing that our loved ones are always with us,” the company claims on its website. Elysium currently offers two packages, a Shooting Star Memorial and a Lunar Memorial.
Unfortunately, the first Shooting Star Memorial launch in 2015 did not reach its required orbit. But the second attempt in 2018 was a success. The memorial “delivers a symbolic portion of your loved one’s remains to Earth’s orbit, only to end this celestial journey as a shooting star.” The cost is $1,990.
The first Lunar Memorial is set for 2021 and reservations are now open. The cost is $9,950. The Lunar Memorial “delivers a symbolic portion of remains to the surface of the Moon, helping to create the quintessential commemoration.”
A Milky Way Memorial is also in the works.
How does it work?
You put a scoop of your loved one’s cremated remains into a capsule that you receive by mail from Elysium Space. You then mail it in a prepaid shipping box back to the company. When the company receives the capsule, it’s placed in a spacecraft module that has individual niches, each with a capsule. There is a webcast of the launch and then the journey of your loved one’s cremated remains can be followed using the company’s mobile app.
Another company, MesoLoft, launches and disperses your loved one’s cremated remains above the earth. With the standard package ($2,800), the company launches a balloon from Southern New Mexico, Eastern Indiana or Eastern Colorado and the cremated remains rise 75,000 feet into space.
When the balloon reaches the predetermined altitude, a door opens and the remains are released. The remains ride the wind currents until they land on earth around the globe. A “destination package” allows you to have the remains launched from a location of your choosing (packages start at $7,500). There is also a pet launch available for $499.
MesoLoft notes: “You’ll discover the comfort of knowing your loved one is literally everywhere around you. No matter where you go and what wonderful sights you see; you’ll be warmed by the knowledge they too are there.”
As above, so below
Rather than sending cremated remains of a loved one into the cosmos, you might prefer a final destination in the ocean. Eternal Reefs offers a combination urn, scattering and burial at sea. The difference is that the eternal reefs are made of an environmentally-safe cement mixture that create artificial reef formations with a pH content that’s close to neutral. This eventually creates new habitats for fish and other sea life.
Eternal reefs are available for one to four sets of cremains, ranging in price from $3,995 to $6,995 and includes families being present at the placement. The reefs can be personalized and there are a number of location options. A direct service (for when family can’t be present) is available in Sarasota, Fla., for $2,495.
Of course, there are plenty of unique earthbound locations. You might be interested in the Loved One Launcher, a hand-held, cremation remains scattering cannon that will shoot remains up to 70 feet in the air. For extra visual effect, you can add confetti or streamers. At $375, it’s certainly a budget-friendly alternative to a trip to the skies or into the seas.
