A space capsule carrying the ashes of 166 individuals crashed into the Pacific Ocean after completing two successful orbits around Earth. The mission, launched by the German startup The Exploration Company (TEC) on June 23, was part of “Mission Possible.” The Nyx capsule’s cargo included human remains sent into orbit by Celestis, a Texas-based space burial company. Despite a successful launch and initial operations, the capsule encountered an issue that led to its unexpected descent into the ocean. TEC reported that the capsule was launched successfully and functioned nominally in orbit, stabilizing after separation from its launcher. However, communication was lost just minutes before the planned splashdown. The company is currently investigating the root cause of this communication failure. In a statement, TEC expressed apologies to clients who entrusted them with their payloads. CEO Helene Huby acknowledged the partial success of the mission and took full responsibility for not achieving complete success. Celestis noted that this mission was unique as it was designed for ashes to return from orbit. However, due to the crash, the ashes were dispersed at sea, making recovery impossible. Despite this setback, Celestis hopes families find solace in knowing their loved ones were part of a historic journey that included orbiting Earth and resting in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to human ashes, the capsule carried cannabis plant matter and seeds for a citizen science project called Martian Grow. This project aimed to study plant growth in space conditions.