The Voyage of Bones!
A cherished dog named Franz is set to make his final journey into space this weekend.
Ashes of a yellow Labrador will embark on their first memorial flight, organized by Celestis Inc. from Texas. The launch is slated for Sunday around 5:30 PM from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, California.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, rising 23 feet high, will carry 166 small capsules made of titanium and aluminum, each measuring about a quarter to half an inch. These capsules contain either DNA or cremated remains, and the rocket will make two passes around 17,000 miles of low Earth orbit.
Spaceflight preparations will begin roughly three hours before launch, according to Charles Chafer, the CEO and co-founder of Celestis.
A recovery vessel, already out in the sea since Friday in anticipation of the launch, will track the incoming rocket and retrieve it from the ocean, explained Chafer.
The capsules were first sent to Germany, then returned to families within two months, each at a cost of $3,500 to send their loved ones to the stars.
Sending Franz on this journey was “much more” than what he was worth as a dog, but his owner, Harvin Moore, chuckled, reflecting on how this was perfect for a “space fanatic” like him.
“He was the best dog, just incredibly soft and loving,” recalled Moore, 60, who lives near Austin, Texas.
Franz, who passed away at 13 in October 2020, was considered more of a brother to Moore than his 26-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and 21-year-old son, Quinn.
The family eagerly anticipates watching their beloved dog journey to the galaxy.
“The shared experience of celebrating the lives of loved ones… it’s unforgettable,” Moore expressed. “It’s pure joy.”
Chaffer added that many of those sending ashes or DNA into space are individuals who always dreamed of space travel but never had the chance. This also aids families in transitioning from sorrow to joy.
The ashes of Wesle Reed Layer, an aerospace engineer who investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy after it exploded shortly after liftoff on January 28, 1986, will also make this memorial flight alongside the DNA of a living three-year-old German boy.
