Ashes of 152 people taken to space by SpaceX's rocket

America's private aerospace company SpaceX launched its hefty rocket Falcon Heavy on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, while carrying 24 satellites.

Dubbed STP-2 for Space Test Program, the mission is the first ordered by the U.S. Defense Department, and is also among the most challenging missions for the company. According to SpaceX, the satellites needed to be placed in three different orbits, thus requires multiple upper-stage engine firings.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is seen before being launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25, 2019. [Photo: IC]

American private spaceflight company Celestis has got a spot on the General Atomics OTB satellite, one of payloads of the Falcon Heavy rocket, to carry the ashes of 152 clients into space, including a bit of cremains of Bill Pogue. Pogue flew on NASA's first space station back in the 1970s.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is seen before being launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25, 2019. [Photo: IC]

After orbiting our planet, the capsules containing the ashes will re-enter the earth's atmosphere and burn like shooting stars, ensuring that there are no orbital debris or adverse environmental effects.

This is a novel idea of taking the cremains on a spaceflight that provides families of the departed to honor and commemorate their beloved ones.

The rocket was launched from the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket in use today. Each first-stage booster has nine engines for a total of 27 firing simultaneously.