Celestis Mission that will Exit the Earth-Moon System to be Launched by ULA
United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch the first Celestis mission to exit the Earth-Moon system on the first flight of a Vulcan booster later this year.
“The mission is named Enterprise in tribute to them - and also fellow mission participant and beloved actor, James “Scotty” Doohan - as well as the many Star Trek fans who are joining them on this, the 20th Celestis Memorial Spaceflight."
Celestis Co-Founder and CEO Charles M. Chafer.
It is perhaps appropriate that a Vulan launch vehicle will boost this first Celestis payload to deep space, as it will carry the cremated remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. In all, the Celestis mission known as the Enterprise Flight will launch more than 150 flight capsules containing cremated remains, DNA samples, and messages of greetings from clients worldwide on an endless journey in interplanetary space.
“We’re very pleased to be fulfilling, with this mission, a promise I made to Majel Barrett Roddenberry in 1997 that one day we would fly her and husband Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry together on a deep space memorial spaceflight,” said Celestis Co-Founder and CEO Charles M. Chafer. “The mission is named Enterprise in tribute to them - and also fellow mission participant and beloved actor, James “Scotty” Doohan - as well as the many Star Trek fans who are joining them on this, the 20th Celestis Memorial Spaceflight. We look forward to launching this historic mission on a rocket named Vulcan.”
“We are honored that Celestis has selected ULA to launch this important mission,” said Tory Bruno, ULA president and CEO. “What a fitting tribute to the Roddenberry family and the Star Trek fans to be a part of the maiden flight of Vulcan, our next-generation rocket.”
Vulcan Centaur’s maiden flight will showcase its tremendous performance as it enters service with a high-energy interplanetary mission. Vulcan will first put Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander on a trajectory for its rendezvous with the Moon. The Centaur upper stage will then continue on to deep space, entering a stable orbit around the sun, with Celestis’ Memorial Spaceflight Payload.
(Image provided with Celestis news release)