Virginia Lawmaker Proposes Tax Break for Space Burial

Virginia legislators will discuss providing a tax break for those commonwealth residents who want their remains launched into space.

Lawmakers are set to debate the concept in 2012 and say the novel tax break is designed to stimulate the economy as well as the profile of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island. The proposal, authored by Del. Terry G. Kilgore (R), would provide a state income tax deduction of up to USD $8,000 for those whose remains are launched from the spaceport.

"I know there's a giggle factor, but it's time to get over that," J. Jack Kennedy, a board member of the Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority, told WTVR news in Richmond, Virginia, in a report reposted on redOrbit. "This is about business and job opportunities."

The bill will provide a tax credit to those "Virginia taxpayers who enter into prepaid contracts 'to place the taxpayer's human cremated remains into earth or lunar orbit from a spaceport facility operated by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority,'" notes The Huffington Post.

The state has been using legislative efforts, including offering corporate tax incentives, in recent years an attempt to lure aerospace businesses to the spaceport. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority is now spending USD $125 million to construct a new launch facility.

In 1994, NASA issued a report on Commerical Space Transportation, which discussed the rationale and market for offering these sorts of services. "The market for space burial is based on a variety of emotional desires as is most of the funeral industry. Burial in space is a modern day extension of burial at sea and probably appeals to the same type of person. A sense of permanence is achieved not by a stone monument but by essentially endless travel over an infinite distance. Space burial appeals to fans of the world's space programs, science fiction, and high technology in general."

The space agency, which was exploring jettisoning compacted cremains into space rather than a token payload, noted that in 1994, the USD$3,900 "was more expensive than the cheapest cremation, but is competitive with low end embalming and casket burial."

As The Huffington Post notes:

"That same NASA report also projected that by 2010, we'd be enjoying space hospitals, and that by 2015, low-gravity space settlements would house 'hundreds of people,' mainly retirees. Orbiting movie studios, business parks and sporting events were also not out of the question. So perhaps not all the report's predictions have come true."

The practice of space burials began in 1997 when the partial remains of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek; Timothy Leary, best known for being an LSD proponent; and 22 others were sent into space. Another 2008 space flight launched the remains of 63 people from Japan.

The term "burial" is a misnomer. Contemporary "memorial spaceflights" can last from minutes to years.

Contemporary space burial doesn't entirely eliminate funeral expenses. Those who opt for this sort of service must still have their remains cremated. Celestis services, for example begin at USD$995 for a service in which the cremains return to earth, while projection into deep space starts at USD$12,500. Voyager Service, a newcomer to the market that should start flights in 2014, will reportedly launch a single gram of cremains starting at USD$12,500.

But with this latest proposal, it's not only the money from the deceased that Virginia is banking on, but that of their mourning party who would patronize local businesses and tourist attractions.

Donna Bozza, director of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission, said in an WTVR interview, "If you're spending that money to go to space, you're going to want your peeps to cheer you on."

Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video on Flickr, used under its Creative Commons license.

Linda Dailey Paulson is a professional journalist for firstSTREET Online, a leading provider of unique gifts for seniors and beyond.

Virginia legislators will discuss providing a tax break for those commonwealth residents who want their remains launched into space.

Lawmakers are set to debate the concept in 2012 and say the novel tax break is designed to stimulate the economy as well as the profile of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island. The proposal, authored by Del. Terry G. Kilgore (R), would provide a state income tax deduction of up to USD $8,000 for those whose remains are launched from the spaceport.

"I know there's a giggle factor, but it's time to get over that," J. Jack Kennedy, a board member of the Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority, told WTVR news in Richmond, Virginia, in a report reposted on redOrbit. "This is about business and job opportunities."

The bill will provide a tax credit to those "Virginia taxpayers who enter into prepaid contracts 'to place the taxpayer's human cremated remains into earth or lunar orbit from a spaceport facility operated by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority,'" notes The Huffington Post.

The state has been using legislative efforts, including offering corporate tax incentives, in recent years an attempt to lure aerospace businesses to the spaceport. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority is now spending USD $125 million to construct a new launch facility.

In 1994, NASA issued a report on Commerical Space Transportation, which discussed the rationale and market for offering these sorts of services. "The market for space burial is based on a variety of emotional desires as is most of the funeral industry. Burial in space is a modern day extension of burial at sea and probably appeals to the same type of person. A sense of permanence is achieved not by a stone monument but by essentially endless travel over an infinite distance. Space burial appeals to fans of the world's space programs, science fiction, and high technology in general."

The space agency, which was exploring jettisoning compacted cremains into space rather than a token payload, noted that in 1994, the USD$3,900 "was more expensive than the cheapest cremation, but is competitive with low end embalming and casket burial."

As The Huffington Post notes:

"That same NASA report also projected that by 2010, we'd be enjoying space hospitals, and that by 2015, low-gravity space settlements would house 'hundreds of people,' mainly retirees. Orbiting movie studios, business parks and sporting events were also not out of the question. So perhaps not all the report's predictions have come true."

The practice of space burials began in 1997 when the partial remains of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek; Timothy Leary, best known for being an LSD proponent; and 22 others were sent into space. Another 2008 space flight launched the remains of 63 people from Japan.

The term "burial" is a misnomer. Contemporary "memorial spaceflights" can last from minutes to years.

Contemporary space burial doesn't entirely eliminate funeral expenses. Those who opt for this sort of service must still have their remains cremated. Celestis services, for example begin at USD$995 for a service in which the cremains return to earth, while projection into deep space starts at USD$12,500. Voyager Service, a newcomer to the market that should start flights in 2014, will reportedly launch a single gram of cremains starting at USD$12,500.

But with this latest proposal, it's not only the money from the deceased that Virginia is banking on, but that of their mourning party who would patronize local businesses and tourist attractions.

Donna Bozza, director of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission, said in an WTVR interview, "If you're spending that money to go to space, you're going to want your peeps to cheer you on."

Linda Dailey Paulson is a professional journalist for firstSTREET Online, a leading provider of unique gifts for seniors and beyond.