1. Request your contract: Provide your mailing address and the name of the beneficiary (yourself for DNA, or your loved one for cremated remains), plus your relationship to the deceased.
2. Review, sign, and pay: We’ll send a digital contract and invoice. You can pay online via credit/debit card or by check.
3. Receive and return your Flight Sampling Kit: This kit allows you, or a licensed funeral director under whose care the sample is handled, to return the sample securely. Please return it within 30 days unless otherwise instructed.
4. Launch readiness: The sample is respectfully transferred to the flight capsule by a licensed funeral director. The capsule is integrated into the host spacecraft before delivery to the launch provider.
5. Performance guarantee: If the mission is not successfully completed, you receive one complimentary priority re-flight of the same service type at no additional cost.

It depends on mission readiness and schedule status. We aim to launch Earth Rise and Earth Orbit services approximately every two years, and Luna and Voyager every 5 years, but timing can vary.

We must receive the sample weeks before integration so we can prepare for handoff to the launch provider.
Because Celestis flies as a secondary payload, we follow the schedule of our launch provider and their primary customer. We do not control the launch timeline.

Launches are scheduled according to our providers’ manifests and mission constraints. While we keep families informed with email updates, launch alerts, and hotline access:

Launch dates are not like airline reservations. Flexibility is essential.

Celestis memorial flights are extraordinary events, not daily commuter trips. If you attend, we recommend planning a longer journey and enjoying the incredible regions where launches take place (Florida, New Mexico, California, Texas, etc.). Launch tourism is a once-in-a-lifetime experience—but it’s not for those on rigid timelines.

Learn more in our blog post on launch timing and flexibility.

Yes. Celestis hosts a multi-day series of commemorative events near the launch location, including:

A Memorial Service honoring all participants on board, featuring ceremonial tributes and optional family remembrances

Optional ticketed experiences, such as:

• A pre-launch technical briefing with mission experts
• A catered welcome reception
• A private launch viewing experience with group transportation

Yes. The livestream of the rocket launch is hosted by our provider, and we upload HD videos of the Memorial Service and pre-launch briefing as soon as possible so families can share the experience with loved ones around the world.

Yes. We comply with all U.S. and international regulations, including:

• FAA Payload Review
• NOAA remote sensing authorization
• ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations)

Yes. Celestis flight capsules are:

• Precision-machined from aerospace-grade aluminum
• Vacuum and pressure tested to withstand the forces of launch and space
• Designed to meet or exceed commercial launch safety requirements

If a mission does not succeed, Celestis offers one complimentary priority reflight on the next available launch of the same service type.

Your money is held in a federally insured trust account and cannot be touched until services are rendered. In the unlikely event Celestis ceases operations, your funds are transferable to a qualified successor. 

Yes. We are proud to offer a 10% discount for veterans. Please let us know at the time of reservation and provide verification to apply. 

Yes. Pet memorial spaceflights are available for dogs, cats, and other animal companions. They can fly separately or alongside their human. 

Yes. We can accommodate multiple labeled samples in one capsule, up to a total of 7 grams. 

Due to strict flight weight limits, only the sample is permitted. However, we welcome stories, messages, and photos for the Celestis Digital Memorial.

Yes! We ship Flight Sampling Kits to over 90 countries, including all necessary customs documentation. Some local fees may apply.

Yes. Foreign guests may attend all public Celestis events with proper ID. No government clearance or special visa is required beyond normal travel documents. 

Every participant’s family receives:

• A commemorative flight certificate
• A professionally edited video of the launch and memorial events
• For orbital missions: a tracking link to the host spacecraft

Yes. Visit our online store for:

• Framed certificates
• Mission patches
• Replica flight capsules
• Jewelry and tribute gifts