April 16, 1997. Copyright, 1997, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Ashes to Orbit
By Danny Sullivan

The worldÕs first-ever burial in space will see the ashes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and 1960s counter-culture guru Dr Timothy Leary launched into orbit on Monday, if all goes as planned.

Ashes from 22 other people are also to make the trip. The ashes are hitchhiking into orbit alongside a Spanish environmental satellite. Both are being lifted into space by the Pegasus launch system, a missile-like device that is launched from an L-1011 jet.

The service is offered through Houston, Texas-based Celestis, Inc. Each spot costs $4,800 (£3,000). A second launch, with ashes from up to 150 people, is planned for later this year.

A capsule mounted in the rocketÕs third stage holds 24 lipstick-sized aluminium containers, each containing 7 grams (0.25 oz) of ashes from a different person, a token amount of the 11 kilos (5 lbs) of ashes cremation produces.

The U.S. space shuttle Columbia carried some of RoddenberryÕs ashes into orbit in 1992, but this is the first time ashes are being sent on a one-way trip. In a few years, the rocket stage will re-enter the EarthÕs atmosphere and disintegrate.

Leary decided on sending his ashes into space just two days before he died, after seeing a promotional video of the proposed launch. ÔIÕm finally going to be a space pioneer,Õ he told a friend.

Sources: Celestis; Orbital Sciences Corporation 

EDS Ð Launch scheduled for Monday, April 21, 1997.
Celestis can be found on the web at http://www.celestis.com. A promotional video and photos can be found on the Fox News Network, http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/032897/ashes.sml