Estate Planning

An Astronomical Burial

By Hull and Hull LLP

Ever dream of being an astronaut? If you were not one in life fear not, there is still the chance that you can travel in space after your death. According to a Toronto Star article by Nicole Baute, it would appear that when it comes to burial possibilities, the sky is not the limit.

Celestis Inc. is a company co-founded by commercial space age pioneer Charles Chafer that specializes in 'Memorial Spaceflights'. The ashes are placed in aluminum capsules inside a Celestis spacecraft, which is a small cylinder that hitches a ride on a rocket heading elsewhere. The spacecraft breaks away from the rocket once it is deep in space and then orbits the earth for anywhere from a few years to several hundred years, depending on how far into space it goes. Solar wind and the natural degradation of the orbit eventually pull the spacecraft back into the earth's atmosphere, where it incinerates like a meteor upon contact. The cost is anywhere from $695 to $12,500 $US.

If space travel isn't for you, Baute reports on other unconventional options. Perhaps you would like to have your ashes pressed into a vinyl record for family and friends (the sound quality is a little scratchy and you might have to supply the turntable) or even an attractive paper weight. Those who are concerned about the environment can have themselves composted. As for me, I think I'd like to be turned into a diamond. 

Considering all the burial options out there, with a little imagination, you can go to infinity and beyond! 

Sharon Davis

Full post as published by Toronto Estate Law Blog on September 27, 2010 (boomark / email).