$3,900 Price Tag Expected : ‘Space Burial’ Plans Approved by U.S.

The Transportation Department has granted “mission approval” for preliminary plans of a fledgling rocket company to carry cremated human remains into space in late 1986 or early 1987, it was announced Tuesday.

Space Services Inc. of Houston wants to use its own small “Conestoga” rocket for the Celestis Group of Melbourne, Fla., to carry the ashes of more than 10,000 persons into a 1,900-mile-high orbit.

Burial in space would cost $3,900, a company spokesman said.

The orbiting container would be coated with a highly reflective surface to make it easy to spot from the ground through small telescopes or binoculars.

The Transportation Department, which has authority to oversee commercial space activities, said it issued permission to proceed after consulting with the State Department, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense.

“In their reviews, the agencies found that the proposed launch will not affect any U.S. civil or military space projects, nor will it interfere with other nations’ spacecraft,” the Transportation Department said.

Jennifer Dorn, head of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, said the Transportation Department must conduct a launch-safety review before Space Services can proceed with the launching.

Space Services is headed by former astronaut Donald K. (Deke) Slayton.

“They gave us a real fast response. It took just a little over a month (since the application was filed), and that’s pretty good in getting something through Washington,” Slayton said.

Celestis plans to mail 23,000 flyers to funeral directors to brief them on the service.