UPCOMING ROCKET LAUNCH TO BE FILMED FOR NEW DOCUMENTARY ON PHENOMENON OF SENDING LOVED ONE'S REMAINS INTO SPACE

"HEAVENLY BODIES" (W.T.) WILL PREMIERE ON SMITHSONIAN CHANNELTM AND FOLLOW THE CELESTIS HERITAGE MEMORIAL SPACE FLIGHT

NEW YORK - June 21, 2019 - What do you want to happen when you die? The ancient Greeks hung their heroes in the stars. On Monday, June 24, Smithsonian Channel cameras will capture an emotional, 21st-century version of this timeless human story, when 152 people mark the end of their life on Earth - by having their ashes shot into space. Celestis Memorial Spaceflights is lifting the cremains of 152 space enthusiasts off to their greatest and final adventure. Now, cameras are on the ground to capture the stories of Celestis participants and their loved ones as they witness this emotional launch to be shown in an upcoming Smithsonian Channel program, HEAVENLY BODIES (w.t.).

Founded in 1994, Celestis is a pioneer and iconic global leader in memorial spaceflights - helping families all over the world commemorate the lives of their loved ones and say one final goodbye. Monday's Celestis Heritage Earth Orbit flight will lift off from the Kennedy Space Center, the very spot where the Apollo 11 mission to the moon blasted off 50 years ago.

Inside General Atomics' Orbital Test Bed satellite, next to NASA JPL's brand-new Deep Space Atomic Clock, Celestis' Heritage Flight mission will see cremains sent to space to orbit the Earth for 25 years, its flight trackable through the sky for loved ones remaining on Earth. At the end of the 25 years, the satellite's orbit will degrade and descend back into Earth's atmosphere, burning up one final time as a shooting star.

HEAVENLY BODIES (w.t.) will feature the stories of these memorial flight participants and their families. They hail from around the globe - across the United States, Europe and as far away as Japan. All are united by loss, and by the universal human story of life, love and death. Cameras will watch with them as a host of self-professed space junkies and lifelong adventurers fulfill their final goal - becoming 21st-century constellations in the sky.

HEAVENLY BODIES (w.t.) is executive produced by John Cavanagh and David Royle for Smithsonian Channel.

Smithsonian Channel(TM), owned by Smithsonian Networks(TM), a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. This is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing factual entertainment, available in HD and 4K Ultra HD across multiple platforms. Smithsonian Channel, winner of Emmy(R) and Peabody awards for its programming, combines the storytelling prowess of SHOWTIME(R) with the unmatched resources and rich traditions of the Smithsonian, to create programming that shines new light on popular genres such as air and space, travel, history, science, nature and pop culture. Among the network's offerings are series including Aerial America, America in Color, The Lost Tapes, Mighty Ships, Million Dollar American Princesses, The Pacific War in Color and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include The Coronation, The Mountain Lion and Me, Earth from Outer Space and Titanoboa: Monster Snake. Smithsonian Networks also operates Smithsonian Channel Plus(TM), a subscription video streaming service delivering over a thousand hours of the Channel's stunning and diverse library of documentaries and series in HD and 4K Ultra HD. Smithsonian Channel is also available internationally in Canada, Singapore, Latin America and the UK. To learn more, go to www.smithsonianchannel.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.