What Celestis does

Celestis, Inc. is a Houston, Texas-based memorial spaceflight company founded in 1994 and operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Space Services Holdings, Inc. The company arranges post-cremation memorial services that launch a symbolic portion of cremated remains — and, optionally, DNA samples or digital "MindFiles" — aboard real commercial and scientific space missions. Its portfolio comprises four service tiers: Earth Rise (suborbital near-space), Earth Orbit (long-duration Earth orbit, the flagship and most-booked tier), Luna (lunar surface delivery), and Voyager (deep-space solar orbit). Each tier is delivered through distinct named missions with dedicated launch providers, dates, and destinations.

The underlying technology consists of specialized, sealed flight capsules engineered with aerospace-grade shielding material designed to protect contents from solar extremes, extreme cold, and radiation. Add-on services include Celestis DNA (preserved genetic material) and Celestis MindFiles (digital content such as messages, photos, and art sent into deep space). The company also offers the Celestis Above Satellite Tracker, a single-board computer device that calculates and displays the real-time orbital position of Celestis memorial satellites via a connected TV. To date Celestis has flown 27+ missions across these tiers, with launch partners including SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Spaceflight Industries, and Stoke Space.

Celestis operates with 11-50 employees and generates revenue through one-time memorial spaceflight service fees across tiered price points. Distribution is direct, via personalized family consultation and a global footprint, with named participants from dozens of countries. The company also runs an e-commerce storefront ("Celestis Mementos") selling mission patches, lapel pins, capsule displays, rocket models, and the satellite tracker hardware. Marketing emphasizes emotional storytelling and earned media coverage rather than paid acquisition, and the company supports pre-arranged memorial planning for customers who wish to schedule their own service in advance.

Name

Celestis

Legal name

Celestis, Inc.

Website

https://celestis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Celestis is a Houston-based memorial spaceflight company founded in 1994 that launches symbolic portions of cremated remains into space across Earth orbit, lunar, and deep-space tiers via SpaceX, ULA, and Stoke Space missions, serving families of space enthusiasts, astronauts, and notable participants globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Memorial Spaceflight Services

NAICS

Death Care Services (8122)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL)

Keywords

• Memorial spaceflights
• Space burial services
• Cremation space launches
• Lunar memorial services
• Memorial tribute products

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Memorial Spaceflight Services: Celestis generates revenue through offering memorial spaceflight services at various tiers including Earth Rise (near-space), Earth Orbit, Luna (lunar surface), and Voyager (deep space) services. Each service tier represents a different destination and price point for carrying symbolic portions of cremated remains into space.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Celestis provides memorial spaceflight services that launch symbolic portions of cremated remains into space aboard commercial rockets. Core service tiers include Earth Rise (suborbital), Earth Orbit, Luna (lunar surface), and Voyager (deep space) flights, delivered through named missions using launch partners such as SpaceX, ULA, and Stoke Space. Add-on services include Celestis DNA for genetic material and Celestis MindFiles for sending digital content to space, with related merchandise sold via the Celestis Mementos store.

Product overview

Celestis is a memorial spaceflight company founded in 1994 that offers a portfolio of services to launch symbolic portions of cremated remains into space. The core offerings include four service tiers: Earth Orbit Service (most popular), Luna Service (lunar surface delivery), Voyager Service (deep space solar orbit), and Earth Rise Service (suborbital flights). Add-on services include Celestis DNA for genetic material preservation and Celestis MindFiles for sending digital content to space. Each service is delivered through distinct named missions (e.g., Excelsior Flight, Enterprise Flight, Serenity Flight) with their own launch schedules, launch providers (SpaceX, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance), and destinations. Celestis also operates an e-commerce store selling related merchandise including the Celestis Above Satellite Tracker hardware device, mission patches and pins, flight capsule displays, and rocket models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Celestis DNA: Service allowing customers to launch their DNA to space as part of a memorial spaceflight
• Celestis MindFiles
• Celestis Above Satellite Tracker
• Celestis Mementos

Products and services

• Earth Orbit Service Flagship memorial spaceflight service that launches symbolic portions of cremated remains into Earth orbit aboard commercial rockets; remains orbit Earth for extended periods before re-entering the atmosphere as visible shooting stars. Intended for families seeking the most popular Celestis service.
• Luna Service Memorial spaceflight service that delivers cremated remains to the lunar surface as part of commercial lunar missions, intended for families wanting their loved one to rest on the Moon.
• Voyager Service Deep space memorial flight service that carries cremated remains and DNA samples beyond the Moon into solar orbit, representing the most distant destination Celestis offers.
• Earth Rise Service Near-space memorial flight service that carries cremated remains on suborbital trajectories, providing a brief journey into space before return to Earth.
• Celestis DNA Add-on service that preserves and launches DNA samples alongside cremated remains, allowing participants to have their genetic material represented in space.
• Celestis Above Satellite Tracker A single-board computer device that calculates and displays the real-time orbital position of Celestis memorial satellites and the International Space Station, connecting to a TV to show pass-over times for the user's location and providing live video from the ISS.
• Mission Patches and Lapel Pins Woven mission patches and lapel pins commemorating each Celestis flight mission, sold individually through the Celestis Mementos e-commerce store.
• Flight Capsule Displays Display cases featuring authenticated launch certificates and flight-ready reproductions of Celestis flight capsules, housed in rustic black wood frames, sold through the Celestis Mementos store.
• Falcon Heavy Rocket Models Hand-painted metal alloy 19-inch models of the Falcon Heavy rocket commemorating specific Celestis missions, including custom wooden keepsake boxes with engravings, sold through the Celestis Mementos store.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27+ successful memorial spaceflights conducted since 1994
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Stoke SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Celestis plans to launch its Infinite Flight mission in late 2026 using Stoke Space's Nova rocket to carry human ashes and DNA samples beyond the Moon into solar orbit. This will be the company's second deep-space mission.
• SpaceXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpaceX provides launch services for Celestis memorial spaceflights. The Excelsior Flight launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. SpaceX is the primary launch provider for many Celestis Earth orbit missions.
• United Launch Alliance (ULA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket will loft Celestis' Enterprise and Tranquility Memorial Spaceflights to deep space and the Moon respectively. Enterprise Flight represents the first deep space mission.
• Spaceflight IndustriesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpaceflight Industries serves as the launch services provider for the Excelsior Flight mission, coordinating the launch aboard commercial rockets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Virgin Galactic: Space tourism operator addressing the same general 'space experience for individuals' market. Operates in a different modality (crewed suborbital tourism) but competes for aspirational space-curious customer mind-share.
• Stoke Space: Launch partner for Celestis's planned 2026 Infinite Flight (Voyager Service #2) on the Nova rocket. Enabling infrastructure provider whose development cadence directly affects Celestis's deep-space mission roadmap.
• Rocket Lab: Small-to-medium launch provider with comparable small-payload and rideshare capabilities to those Celestis uses. Not a memorial competitor, but a relevant launch-industry peer for understanding capacity and pricing dynamics.

Broad incumbents

• SpaceX: Primary launch provider for many Celestis Earth-orbit and Falcon Heavy missions. As the dominant commercial launch incumbent, SpaceX is both Celestis's most important supplier and a credible long-term threat if it internalizes memorial offerings.
• Blue Origin: Major commercial space launch provider that has collaborated with Celestis on past missions. As a broad incumbent with both crewed and payload capabilities, Blue Origin is a launch partner today and a potential direct competitor if it expands into memorial services.
• United Launch Alliance (ULA): Launch partner for Celestis's first deep-space mission (Enterprise Flight) and lunar mission (Tranquility Flight) aboard Vulcan Centaur. A broad incumbent in launch that enables Celestis's premium service tiers.

Direct peers

• Elysium Space: Direct competitor offering memorial spaceflights for cremated remains across Earth orbit, lunar, and deep-space destinations. Closest head-to-head rival in the same product category serving the same emotionally-driven customer base.
• AstroRemains: Identified in Celestis's own data as a competitor pricing Earth-orbit memorial spaceflights at $2,500 per participant, materially below Celestis's historical pricing — directly competing for the same end-customer.

Emerging players

• Eterneva: Alternative-disposition company that turns cremated remains into diamonds. Competes for the same end-customer death-care dollar with a different delivery modality, representing the broader 'memorialization innovation' category Celestis sits within.
• Parting Stone: Alternative-disposition company that transforms cremated remains into stones. Adjacent competitor in the non-traditional cremated-remains category, offering another premium option for families choosing a non-standard tribute.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/celestisflights
• Facebookfacebook.com/memorialspaceflights
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/celestis-memorial-spaceflights

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Celestis