Key Highlights:

• The satellite will orbit Earth for five years before burning up on re-entry.
• Space Beyond will send up to 1,000 people’s ashes to space in one mission in 2027.
• The service starts at $249, far cheaper than existing space memorials.
• Each person can send about one gram of ashes aboard a CubeSat.

In 2027, a startup called Space Beyond plans to launch up to 1,000 people’s ashes into orbit on a single mission. The price starts at $249. It matters because space memorials have long been reserved for the wealthy. This mission turns ashes into something ordinary families can send beyond Earth.

The company, founded by former Blue Origin engineer Ryan Mitchell, has signed a launch agreement for a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission. The ashes will fly inside a CubeSat, a small, cube-shaped satellite used for low-cost space missions.

How does “ashes to space” actually work?

Space Beyond will place about one gram of each person’s ashes inside sealed compartments within the CubeSat. The satellite will launch in October 2027 and enter a sun-synchronous orbit around 550 kilometers above Earth.

From the ground, families will be able to track the satellite using public spacecraft tracking tools. That means people can look up and know when their loved one is passing overhead in the night sky.

The CubeSat will remain in orbit for roughly five years. After that, it will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up, along with the ashes inside.

Why is this so cheap compared to earlier missions?

Sending ashes to space is not new. Companies like Celestis have offered it since the 1990s. The difference is cost. Traditional options often run into the thousands of dollars.

Space Beyond relies on the rideshare model. Small satellites now hitch rides on larger SpaceX missions for a fraction of the old launch price. The company is also bootstrapped and avoids investor-driven margins.

As a result, a space memorial now costs less than a smartphone.

What are the limits?

Only one gram of ashes can fly per person. Weight remains critical in spaceflight. The CubeSat will not release particles into space, avoiding debris risks for other spacecraft.

Families can keep or scatter the remaining ashes on Earth.

A new kind of farewell

The mission will not create permanent monuments. Instead, it offers motion, visibility, and an ending in fire. For the first time, ashes in orbit will not be a luxury. They will be an option. And in 2027, up to 1,000 stories will leave Earth together.