Space Funeral: How to Send Ashes or DNA to Space (Cost & How It Works)

Reviewed and proofread by the Titan Casket expert team. Our in-house team reviews every guide on this site for accuracy, sensitivity, and clarity before publication.

A space funeral (also called a space burial or memorial spaceflight) launches a symbolic portion of a loved one’s cremated remains or DNA into Earth orbit aboard a commercial rocket. The capsule circles the planet for months to years, then re-enters the atmosphere as a shooting star. Through the Titan Space Program, a complete orbital memorial costs $3,000.

For some people, the right resting place isn’t a cemetery plot or a mantelpiece urn. It’s the sky itself. This guide covers everything about how a space funeral works, what it costs, what happens to the remains, the 30-year history behind memorial spaceflight, and how to decide whether it’s the right tribute for your loved one.

What Is a Space Funeral?

A space funeral is a memorial service in which a small, symbolic portion of cremated remains, or a preserved DNA sample, is sealed inside a flight-qualified capsule and launched into space as a secondary payload on a commercial rocket. It is not a burial in the traditional sense: nothing is left in space permanently on an orbital mission, and the family keeps the majority of the remains at home.

The Titan Space Program’s Shooting Star Service places your loved one’s capsule into Earth orbit, where it travels over every continent, every ocean, and every sunrise and sunset for months to several years. When its orbit naturally decays, the spacecraft re-enters the atmosphere in a brilliant streak of light: a shooting star, visible from the ground. One verified re-entry, the Excelsior Flight, created a spiral of light over Fairbanks, Alaska that observers could see with the naked eye.

How Does a Memorial Spaceflight Work?

The process is deliberately simple for families. Three steps:

1. Reserve your flight. Place your order and receive a personalized flight kit at home with everything you need.

2. Send your sample. Prepare a symbolic portion of cremated remains (about 1 gram) or a non-invasive DNA sample, and return it in the provided kit.

3. Preparation and launch. The mission team integrates the sample into an engraved, flight-qualified capsule and launches it aboard a commercial rocket into Earth orbit. Families watch via a live launch stream, then track the spacecraft in real time as it orbits.

Because memorial payloads fly as secondary payloads on commercial missions, launch dates and locations can shift with technical readiness and regulatory requirements. Missions launch on a regular cadence, and the next orbital launch window opens in 2026.

How Much Does It Cost to Send Ashes to Space?

Sending ashes to space costs $3,000 through the Titan Space Program, a one-time, all-inclusive payment, with payment plans available. Every reservation includes:

• A personalized, individual flight capsule engraved with your loved one’s name and flight details

• A commemorative flight kit and keepsake display for your home

• Real-time orbital tracking access, so you can follow the spacecraft as it circles Earth

• An official Certificate of Spaceflight documenting the mission

• A guaranteed complimentary re-flight at no cost in the event of a launch anomaly

• Launch livestream access for family and friends anywhere in the world

• A professionally edited keepsake video of the launch and mission

For context, the casket for a traditional funeral alone typically costs $2,000 to $5,000 at a funeral home, and a full funeral with burial runs $7,000 to $12,000. A space funeral is not only one of the most extraordinary memorials available; it is often less expensive than a conventional one.

Ashes or DNA: What Can You Send?

Cremated remains: a symbolic portion of about 1 gram flies in the capsule. The rest of the ashes stay with your family for an urn, scattering, solidified remains, or memorial jewelry. A space funeral complements other tributes rather than replacing them.

Preserved DNA: a non-invasive DNA sample kit is provided with your reservation. This option means a space memorial is possible even without cremation, including for loved ones who were buried, or as a pre-planned tribute for the living.

30 Years of Spaceflight Heritage

The Titan Space Program is powered by Beyond Burials, a Celestis company. Celestis pioneered memorial spaceflight in 1994 and has completed 24 missions over three decades, including:

• The Founders Flight (1997): the world’s first private memorial spaceflight, carrying Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and counterculture icon Timothy Leary

• The New Frontier Flight (2012): the first Celestis mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, carrying Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper and James Doohan, Star Trek’s “Scotty”

• The Enterprise Flight (2024): carrying Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura, who inspired generations of astronauts

• The Excelsior Flight: its verified re-entry over Fairbanks, Alaska created a shooting star visible from the ground

A recent Heritage Flight aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy carried more than 150 participants from Cape Canaveral, with families gathered to watch the launch together.

“Families are often surprised that a space funeral doesn’t mean giving up the ashes. Only about a gram flies, and everything else stays home. It works best as the centerpiece of a memorial, alongside an urn or keepsake, not instead of one.”
— Titan Expert Team

Is a Space Funeral Right for Your Loved One?

Families choose memorial spaceflight for stargazers, science and space enthusiasts, Star Trek fans, veterans and aviators, and anyone whose spirit felt bigger than one place on the map. Because only a symbolic portion flies, it pairs naturally with a traditional service: many families hold a celebration of life around the launch livestream, then continue memorializing at home. If you’re weighing every option, our guide to space burial covers the broader category, and a Titan Concierge can walk you through the decision with zero pressure.

Space Funeral FAQs

What is a memorial spaceflight?

A memorial spaceflight launches a symbolic portion of cremated remains or preserved DNA into Earth orbit aboard a commercial rocket. The spacecraft orbits the planet before re-entering the atmosphere as a visible shooting star.

How much does a space funeral cost?

$3,000 through the Titan Space Program, all-inclusive: engraved individual capsule, flight kit, orbital tracking, certificate, livestream, keepsake video, and a guaranteed free re-flight if the launch fails. Payment plans are available.

How much of the remains are sent to space?

Only a symbolic portion, approximately 1 gram, flies in the capsule. The rest stays with the family for urns, scattering, or other memorials.

How long does the spacecraft orbit Earth?

Typically months to several years, depending on the mission. During that time you can follow it with the real-time orbital tracking link provided.

What happens if the launch fails?

Every reservation includes a guaranteed complimentary re-flight at no additional cost in the event of a launch anomaly.

Can I send DNA instead of ashes?

Yes. Both cremated remains and preserved DNA samples are supported, and the DNA kit is non-invasive, so a space memorial is possible without cremation.

Is it legal to send ashes to space?

Yes. Memorial spaceflights fly as licensed secondary payloads on commercial rockets, fully compliant with U.S. launch regulations.

When is the next launch?

Missions launch at least once every two years, and the next scheduled orbital launch window opens in 2026. Samples are manifested on the next available flight after they’re received.

Reserve a Place Among the Stars

The most extraordinary memorial on Earth begins with a single reservation. Visit the Titan Space Program to reserve a flight, or speak with a Titan Concierge who will walk you through every step, with patience, care, and zero pressure.