It’s Saturday, January 24, 2026, and if the idea of a $₹30,000$ space funeral sounds like a sci-fi bargain, you’re not alone. A Florida startup called Space Beyond just locked in a 2027 launch with SpaceX to turn your loved ones (or pets) into shooting stars for a fraction of the usual cost.
The thing is, space memorials used to be a “billionaire only” club. Now, it’s getting democratized. Or nothing.
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The “Ashes to Space” Mission: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where the founder, Ryan Mitchell—a former engineer for Blue Origin and NASA’s shuttle program—is trying to bypass the “luxury” price tags of the industry. Here’s the ground reality:
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The SpaceX Connection: They’ve signed a deal to fly on the Transporter-22 rideshare mission in October 2027. The thing is, they aren’t building a giant rocket; they’re building a “brick-sized” 1U CubeSat. Those too.
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The “Brick” Specs: This tiny satellite will hold about 1,000 symbolic portions of remains (about 1 gram each). Everything is sealed in Kapton film—that gold-colored stuff you see on satellites.
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The $249 Entry Fee: Let’s be real—$249 (approx. ₹20,000) is wild. Compare that to the established player, Celestis, whose orbital flights start at 4,995 (₹4.2 Lakh). The thing is, Space Beyond is self-funding and bootstrapping. They aren’t trying to please venture capitalists; they’re just trying to hit orbit.
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The “Shooting Star” Finish: The satellite will sit in a Sun-Synchronous Orbit (550km up) for about five years. You can track it on an app as it passes over your house. And here’s the kicker—after five years, it’ll naturally fall back and burn up in the atmosphere. No space debris, just a final, fiery tribute. Or nothing.
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Space Memorial Price Comparison (2026-2027)
| Provider | Service Type | Starting Price | Note |
| Space Beyond | Orbital (5 Years) | $249 | October 2027 SpaceX launch. |
| Beyond Burials | Orbital | $1,500 | Currently booking for 2026/28. |
| Celestis | Suborbital (Returns) | $3,495 | The “classic” luxury choice. |
| Celestis | Deep Space / Moon | $12,995+ | For those who want to leave Earth entirely. |
And Here’s the Kicker…
Space Beyond’s first mission is almost entirely “sold out” of its initial direct-sale slots. The thing is, their Kickstarter last year was actually a bit of a flop—reaching less than 9% of its goal. But Mitchell didn’t quit. He just pivoted to direct sales and used his own engineering background to slash costs. Those too.
One side comment—the 2025 “Perseverance Flight” by a competitor recently crashed into the Pacific, losing the remains of 166 people. It’s an ongoing situation that reminds everyone: space is still hard. Mitchell says he’s focusing on a “responsible mission duration” of 5 years specifically to avoid the debris hazards that haunt these low-cost projects. Or nothing.
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End…
