Khaberni - The American company "Celestis", specializing in honoring the deceased through space, has opened reservations for participation in its new Mars300 project, which aims to send human remains and DNA samples into orbit around Mars by 2030.
The project offers clients the chance to immortalize their loved ones in an unprecedented way, at a cost of $24,995 per participant, with the possibility of paying a 10% deposit to secure the spot.
The company assured that all payments will be subject to a dedicated, trusted, and insured credit account until the launch provider and mission details are confirmed.
Celestis was founded in Texas in 1997 and has previously carried out space missions to transport human and animal remains to Earth orbit, including honoring notable figures from the cinema world such as legends from the "Star Trek" series and known space scientists, as well as sending pets.
However, Mars300 represents the first experiment to place human remains in orbit around another planet, making it an unprecedented step in the history of private space travel.
The mission will be launched as secondary cargo on a future cargo spacecraft headed to Mars, with the possibility of relying on "SpaceX's" Starship rocket as the only current reliable option, while finalizing the mission schedule is still tied to technical preparations and financial and logistical challenges.
For his part, Charles Chafer, the CEO of the company, indicated that the project represents "the next step for humanity towards the stars, blending science and exploration in a way that reflects mankind's destiny beyond Earth."
Despite the symbolic nature of the mission, it also raises scientific discussions about protecting the space environment, as it requires COSPAR protocols to prevent contamination of celestial bodies with terrestrial microbes, making the execution of the mission according to strict standards a vital matter.
