In a heartfelt tribute to their beloved father, Curtis “Curt” Carson Lau, who passed away at the age of 70, Griffin Lau, a 28-year-old resident of Logan Square, and his brother made the poignant decision to send a portion of their father's ashes into space. This remarkable journey commenced on Monday with a launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, as part of the Perseverance flight offered by Celestis’ memorial spaceflight services.
The Perseverance flight, which is designed to honor the memories of the deceased, lifted off on Monday afternoon and was scheduled for a nearly three-hour ride into orbit. Following this, the capsule carrying the ashes was intended to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, allowing for the safe return of Curtis Lau’s remains to his family. However, after successfully orbiting the Earth twice, an unfortunate incident occurred during reentry: the capsule was lost due to a failure in its parachute deployment.
Celestis CEO Charles Chafer expressed the company's deep regret concerning the mishap, stating, “The Perseverance Flight carrying the ashes and DNA of 166 participants successfully launched and reached orbit today, aboard The Exploration Company’s Nyx Mission Possible spacecraft. However, we regret to share that an anomaly occurred during reentry, specifically, the parachute system failed, resulting in the Nyx capsule impacting the Pacific Ocean and dispersing its contents at sea.” He further acknowledged the disappointment felt by the families involved and assured them of the company's commitment to providing support in the coming days.
Griffin Lau reflected on the situation, saying, “It’s a bummer … but admittedly they take only a small part of the remains.” The flight was executed in collaboration with The Exploration Company using a Falcon 9 rocket, symbolizing a unique way to honor a loved one’s memory. “It’s obviously a unique thing we are able to do … this was a wish for my father, so I also appreciate the ability to share his story and memorialize him,” he told the Sun-Times prior to the launch.
Curtis Lau, a career pharmacist and a native of Wisconsin, had a profound passion for space exploration, often traveling to the Kennedy Space Center to witness rocket launches. His family's choice to honor him through a memorial spaceflight aligns with the growing trend of commemorating loved ones in extraordinary ways, particularly for those who shared a fascination with the cosmos.
The elder Lau’s remains were part of a larger payload of 166 individuals on the 12th Celestis Earth Rise mission. The company, which has provided memorial spaceflight services since 1997, offers families the opportunity to send cremated remains and DNA samples into space. The cost for such a unique journey is $3,495, providing a one-of-a-kind tribute for those looking to celebrate the lives of their deceased loved ones through the wonders of space.
