A German startup, The Exploration Company (TEC), lost communication with a space capsule carrying the ashes of 166 people during its re-entry. The Nyx capsule, part of the Nyx Mission Possible, successfully re-entered Earth's atmosphere but lost communication at 26 km altitude before parachute deployment. TEC launched an independent investigation and apologized to families, acknowledging the likely inability to recover the remains. The mission was a first-of-its-kind memorial spaceflight, also carrying cannabis seeds for a citizen science project. TEC's statement indicated the ashes are now resting in the Pacific Ocean.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.