Orbiting Space: A Growing Burial Trend

in #science7 years ago

There are a number of creative things that people have come up with over the years as far as what they want to do with their body when they die.

Not many people are interested any longer in the idea of digging a hole and dropping their remains off in it for eternity. Not only is it an old-fashioned tradition but it's also very expensive. Traditional funeral burial ceremonies can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 or more. And after a loved one passes on, most times the family isn't ready to deal with such a financial burden.

Instead, consumers are looking to crafty options like cremation, biodegradable urns, viking burials, and even a burial in space.

The remains of many people have already been launched into space over the last few decades.

Many of those dead people who got launched into space are still orbiting the globe today. NASA themselves have participated in a number of space burials, although there are other companies involved in this market space too.

For anyone who is looking for a space burial, they will be looking to spend at least $1,000 to go 100km into space. But some space burial missions will have the remains float back to earth via a parachute, while others orbit for longer. So you need to shop around to see what suits your fancy. For example, if you spend $5,000 or more, then you could get a longer trip that might last several months or even centuries.

For $12,500 you can send your remains into deep space, with no plans for return.

There Are Multiple Players In This Market

Elysium Space is just one company that is invested in this market space, and they brand the experience as being a method of dignified memorial spaceflight. They will send your ashes up to space, so that they can orbit the earth. And the company was founded by a former NASA engineer. However, it isn't exactly all of the ashes that are going up either, because they can get heavy and that would be expensive. Instead, what they do is they send up a small amount of ashes as a “symbolic gesture” and the whole process will cost around $1,990 including the tax and shipping.

For those who want a memorial spaceflight experience after they pass on, there is more than one company out there that is looking to make their dream come true.

Cremation has been on the rise for many years as the most popular funeral method for most. And aside from traditional burials and cremation ceremonies, a number of other options have sprung up over the years. People are open to celebrating their loved ones who pass away, in a creative and cost-conscious way, and the market has provided a myriad of different options to choose from.

Pics:
Pixabay
Cremation Solutions

Sources:
https://urnabios.com/
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-ashes-of-dead-people-orbiting-earth
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/10/space_burial_how_to_send_ashes_into_orbit_or_to_the_moon_a_cost_comparison.html
https://www.celestis.com/experiences-pricing/
http://www.livescience.com/15980-death-8-burial-alternatives.html

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I'm not sure why you would do this if you just circle around for a couple of months and then drop back. I think if you're serious about this kind of burial, you'll probably want to go all-in, deep space!

Just to troll a little bit: isn't this polluting space? Note that deep space is better than orbiting around Earth...

i feel like it's a waste too/ a bit of unec polluting lol

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I opt for the Deep Space scenario; You never know, maybe some other lifeform can awake me from the ashes :)

I always thought this was interesting

I think Timothy Leary's remains are in space.

Here is my attempt at a humorous take on another real option.
https://steemit.com/diamonds/@lifeworship/the-family-jewels

Very good post dear friend @doitvoluntarily very interesting, today I learned something new. thank you very much

I guess there's enough room...

Cremation seems to make the most sense. That's our plan, without a plot. Just toss the ashes up in the mountains. They'll get around.

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