Space Services

What Space Services does

Celestis, Inc. is a Texas-incorporated memorial spaceflight services company founded in 1994 and operating as a subsidiary of Space Services Holdings, Inc., headquartered at a Houston, Texas mailing address. The company launches symbolic portions of cremated remains or preserved DNA into space aboard commercial or scientific launch vehicles, offering tiered services that range from suborbital near-space flights (Earth Rise Service) through Earth orbit (Earth Orbit Service), the lunar surface (Luna Service), and deep space (Voyager Service), with a Mars300 initiative targeting the Martian frontier. Its underlying technology consists of proprietary DNA flight capsules built from materials with long aerospace heritage, engineered to shield contents from solar extremes, deep cold, and radiation; the company also operates a real-time satellite tracking tool for families and a digital memorial product (Celestis MindFiles) for sending messages, photos, or art into space.

The business model is direct-to-consumer: customers purchase one-time service reservations through the Celestis website, phone line, in-person consultations, and a partner pre-arrangement site (memorialspaceflights.com), with launch site tours, pre-launch memorial gatherings, and astronaut meet-and-greets at Cape Canaveral, FL and Vandenberg SFB, CA serving as key touchpoints. Pricing is unit-based across tiers (the disclosed Mars300 deposit is $5,000 per participant; Luna and Voyager services are premium) and is not publicly listed on the website. Customer segments center on affluent space enthusiasts and bereaved families of space-affinity decedents, with secondary segments for DNA preservation seekers; the company has served hundreds of participants globally over 30+ years, including high-profile astronaut and entertainment-industry decedents that anchor its brand narrative.

The company has conducted 27 memorial spaceflights through 2026 and is in active operating status, with a core launch partnership with United Launch Alliance (whose Vulcan Centaur rocket carries the Enterprise deep-space and Tranquility lunar missions) and a stated worldwide service footprint. There is no public-company listing, no disclosed institutional funding, and no quantified revenue or headcount in the available source material.

Name

Space Services

Legal name

Celestis, Inc.

Website

https://spaceservicesinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Celestis is a 1994-founded memorial spaceflight services company that launches symbolic portions of cremated remains or preserved DNA into space across tiered Earth orbit, lunar, deep space, and planned Mars missions, serving affluent space enthusiasts and bereaved families globally via direct-to-consumer sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Memorial Spaceflight Services

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMABACAD

Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Spacecraft & Launch Vehicle Manufacturing

SECONDARYIMABACAM

Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Spacecraft & Launch Vehicle Manufacturing

Keywords

• Memorial spaceflights
• Cremated remains launches
• Space burial services
• DNA spaceflight
• Lunar memorial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Memorial Spaceflight Services: One-time service fees for launching symbolic portions of cremated remains or DNA into space across various mission tiers (Earth Rise, Earth Orbit, Luna, Voyager services). Additional revenue from pre-arrangement planning services and the Celestis MindFiles digital memorial offering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Celestis, Inc., a subsidiary of Space Services Holdings, Inc., provides commercial memorial spaceflight services that launch a symbolic portion of cremated remains or preserved DNA into space as part of real space missions. Services are sold across four destination tiers (Earth Rise, Earth Orbit, Luna, and Voyager), with complementary offerings including Celestis DNA preservation, Celestis MindFiles digital memorials, and the Mars300 deep space initiative.

Product overview

Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, operated by Space Services Holdings, is a memorial services company offering multiple tiers of spaceflight experiences for cremated remains and DNA. The product portfolio is organized by destination and mission profile: Earth Rise Service (near-space suborbital flights), Earth Orbit Service (orbital missions around Earth), Luna Service (lunar surface delivery), and Voyager Service (deep space/interplanetary missions including Mars). Additional offerings include Celestis DNA for genetic material spaceflight and Celestis MindFiles for digital content. The services range from entry-level near-space experiences to premium deep space missions, with offerings like Mars300 expanding the frontier of memorial spaceflight to the Red Planet.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Celestis DNA: Service allowing customers to celebrate life by launching preserved DNA to space.
• Celestis MindFiles

Products and services

• Earth Rise Service Memorial spaceflight service that launches a symbolic portion of cremated remains into near-space as a unique suborbital memorial experience.
• Earth Orbit Service Orbital memorial spaceflight service that carries cremated remains aboard a commercial or scientific satellite in Earth orbit, allowing the participant to orbit the Earth.
• Luna Service Lunar surface memorial service that delivers symbolic portions of cremated remains to the Moon, creating a permanent memorial presence on the lunar surface.
• Voyager Service Deep space memorial service that carries cremated remains beyond Earth orbit, into interplanetary space or to distant destinations such as Mars.
• Celestis DNA DNA preservation and spaceflight service that launches preserved DNA samples into space alongside memorial remains, celebrating life by sending genetic material to orbit or beyond.
• Celestis MindFiles Digital memorial service that allows individuals to send messages, photos, or artwork into deep space as a lasting tribute and representation of hopes and dreams.
• Mars300 Initiative to send 300 symbolic portions of cremated remains and preserved DNA to the Martian frontier, creating humanity's first memorial presence on another world.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United Launch AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Launch provider for Celestis memorial spaceflights. United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket will loft Celestis' Enterprise and Tranquility Memorial Spaceflights to deep space and the Moon respectively. Enterprise Flight represents inaugural Vulcan Centaur launch.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SpaceX: Dominant launch provider with rideshare and dedicated smallsat offerings; relevant as both a potential Celestis launch partner and an enabler of competing memorial spaceflight services.
• Rocket Lab: Small launch provider with growing capacity for orbital and beyond-Earth missions; relevant as a potential Celestis launch partner and enabler of lower-cost memorial spaceflight options.
• Service Corporation International: Largest funeral services and cemetery operator in North America; relevant as the dominant incumbent in adjacent death care services that Celestis targets as an alternative premium disposition channel.
• Sierra Space: Commercial space company developing orbital destinations and Dream Chaser spaceplane; relevant as a potential future Celestis partner for orbital and beyond-LEO memorial services.
• United Launch Alliance (ULA): Major launch partner and strategic ally for Celestis memorial flights; while not a memorial services company, ULA is critical infrastructure enabling Celestis' mission profile through Vulcan Centaur and Atlas rockets.

Emerging players

• Parting Stone: Innovative cremation alternative company offering solidified remains ('stones') as a memorial product; competes for premium, alternative-disposition consumer dollars in the same affluent bereaved-family segment.
• Moon Express: Commercial lunar payload and transportation services company pursuing regular access to the Moon; relevant as a future Celestis Luna Service partner or potential competitor in commercial lunar memorial offerings.
• Astrobotic Technology: Commercial lunar logistics company with planned payload deliveries to the Moon; a potential Celestis Luna Service partner as commercial lunar landers become operational.
• Aeternitas Life: Genealogy and DNA preservation services company, comparable to Celestis DNA sub-brand in addressing customers seeking genetic legacy preservation beyond traditional death care.

Direct peers

• Elysium Space: Direct competitor in memorial spaceflight services, offering similar cremated remains and DNA launch services into Earth orbit and beyond, often partnering with SpaceX and other launch providers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ssi-holdings-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Space Services