DNA from Ontario woman and 3 former U.S. presidents launched into outer space
Self-described outer space junkie and avid Star Trek fan Kathleen Mansfield turned her celestial dreams into reality by sending her DNA on a journey beyond earthly bounds.
The Newmarket woman said she dreamt of going out "as far as possible" into orbit, and with the help of a Texas-based company called Celestis, she did just that.
"All I did was Google ashes into space," she described.
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Mansfield was shipped a DNA kit that was then placed in a rocket and blasted into space on a mission aptly named Enterprise.
Although a lunar lander from the company did not reach its final destination, a spacecraft with Mansfield's DNA and three former U.S. presidents' DNA was successfully launched into deep space.
Watching the rocket ship blast off on January 8 was an unforgettable moment for Mansfield, who admits that a surreal realization takes over when she looks to the skies, knowing that some essence of what makes her who she is is out there somewhere.
The president of Celestis said the cost for such celestial journeys is roughly $13,000 American, adding he expects many more of these types of space trips to take place in the coming years. Over 200 DNA samples or ashes were sent up on the first trip to space.
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