The idea of using a balloon in bringing the ashes of a loved one to its final destination -- up in the heavens quite literally -- is now made possible by Mesoloft, an aerospace engineering firm. Mesoloft has created a balloon that can lift a person's remains above the Earth by almost 20 miles up.
The company's aim is to help people who are looking for a unique and unforgettable way to commemorate and celebrate a life that was well loved and well lived. This idea became the springboard for creating a weather balloon that can carry ashes into the air. Once it has reached 20 miles, the ashes are then scattered far and wide.
The released ashes will "soar and drift in the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere for weeks and months circulating the globe," says the company.
After hanging around in the atmosphere for quite sometime, the ashes would then find their way back to Earth in the form of rain or snow. They will then settle on the rivers, lakes, oceans, desert dunes and mountain tops.
"Let their last journey be their greatest," says the company.
The release of the ashes is captured using GoPro cameras that are attached to the balloon. This way, friends and relatives can watch everything that happens along the journey.
Mesoloft definitely does much more than just scatter the ash as part of the service. The effect is a change in the person's ongoing relationship with a loved one who has passed on. In knowing that the cremated remains are brought to the edge of space and scattered in the end, an enduring sense of connection is somehow formed between the bereaved and the deceased.
Mesoloft wants the connection between the living survivor and the deceased to be strong, nurturing and positively charged.
"If the emotional tie between living survivor and the deceased is weak or negatively charged, the long-term well being of the grieving family member can be compromised," says the company.
The service provided by Mesoloft is focused on the survivor's adjustment to a new reality and on building an enduring connection with the deceased. Instead of being totally gone and absolutely nowhere to be found, the deceased can somehow be perceived as being "everywhere" knowing that their ashes are scattered at such great heights.
The mortal remains, in essence, become part of the planet's greater whole and nurturing life. This way, the bereaved family and friends can have an enduring emotional and spiritual connection to a deceased loved one.
The basic package of the service charges $3,170. For a destination package where families can choose their launch place, the charges become $8,500.
