Remains of household cat to be launched into orbit around Earth

It will be a send-off like no other. The remains of a household cat named Pikachu, who died in January after a fight with diabetes, are slated to be launched into orbit around the Earth.

Pikachu’s owner Steve Munt started a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of the space memorial.

“Pikachu will have a final send-off like no cat has ever had before,” Munt posted on the page. “A portion of his remains, from his heart, will be launched into orbit, where he will watch over the Earth, and we can track his location as he showers the world with love.”

Munt told Space.com that Celestis, which also offers memorial spaceflights for humans, will handle the arrangements of getting the cat’s remains as a secondary payload on a satellite launch sometime in the next 18 months.

Thank you so much to the very kind repeat donor who contributed toward Pikachu's memorial in #space: https://t.co/21il0Z2q5v #CatsOfTwitter pic.twitter.com/wEWZZptzp6

— Zee (@growingupzee) April 24, 2019

According to the Celestis website, the cost to launch the remains of a pet into orbit start at $4,995 — the goal of Munt’s GoFundMe page.

Celestis’ website states that pets “will venture into the final frontier as part of a real space mission” and then “reenter the atmosphere, harmlessly vaporizing like a shooting star in final tribute.”

Pikachu would be the first cat to be vaporized like a shooting star, reported Space.com. Though two dogs already have the honor.

Munt told Space.com that Pikachu’s trip is booked and paid for, but the funds will help with the costs.