<p>George Washington, John F Kennedy, Dwight D Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan are going on a hair-raising journey into outer space.</p>.<p>Not the actual -- and long dead -- former US presidents, of course, but samples of their hair.</p>.<p>Celestis, a Texas-based company that specializes in space burials, announced the plan on Monday, which is celebrated as Presidents' Day in the United States.</p>.<p>Celestis said it will launch "what we believe to be authenticated DNA" of the former presidents into space aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket later this year.</p>.<p>Also aboard the flight -- dubbed "Enterprise" -- will be some of the cremated remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and other cast members from the groundbreaking 1960s television series.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/astronomers-marvel-at-perfect-explosion-a-spherical-cosmic-fireball-1191641.html" target="_blank">Astronomers marvel at 'perfect explosion,' a spherical cosmic fireball</a></strong></p>.<p>The USS Enterprise was the starship in the sci-fi show whose mission was to "go boldly where no man has gone before."</p>.<p>Celestis said the hair samples of the four former presidents were gifted by an anonymous donor and were accompanied by certificates of authenticity.</p>.<p>It said they originally came from the collection of Louis Mushro, a "celebrity hair collector and appraiser" from Michigan who died in 2014.</p>.<p>"These hair samples have been in a climate-controlled facility for several years in preparation for this mission," Celestis said in a statement.</p>.<p>"By adding the DNA of these American icons to Enterprise, we establish a precursor for future human missions, and add to the historical record of human exploration of deep space," Celestis co-founder and CEO Charles Chafer said.</p>.<p>The hair samples and thimble-sized capsules of cremated remains are to be carried into space by a ULA Vulcan rocket scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the next few months on its maider flight.</p>.<p>The ULA rocket is to deploy two satellites, send a private lunar lander to the Moon and then launch the payload of hair samples and remains into deep space.</p>.<p>ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno said it was a "tremendous honor to work with Celestis to launch these four esteemed US presidents on our Vulcan launch vehicle."</p>.<p>Celestis sent some of Roddenberry's ashes into orbit around the Earth on its premier "Founders Flight" rocket launch in 1997.</p>.<p>The Houston company currently charges $4,995 to launch remains into Earth orbit and a voyage into deep space beyond the Moon begins at $12,500.</p>
<p>George Washington, John F Kennedy, Dwight D Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan are going on a hair-raising journey into outer space.</p>.<p>Not the actual -- and long dead -- former US presidents, of course, but samples of their hair.</p>.<p>Celestis, a Texas-based company that specializes in space burials, announced the plan on Monday, which is celebrated as Presidents' Day in the United States.</p>.<p>Celestis said it will launch "what we believe to be authenticated DNA" of the former presidents into space aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket later this year.</p>.<p>Also aboard the flight -- dubbed "Enterprise" -- will be some of the cremated remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and other cast members from the groundbreaking 1960s television series.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/astronomers-marvel-at-perfect-explosion-a-spherical-cosmic-fireball-1191641.html" target="_blank">Astronomers marvel at 'perfect explosion,' a spherical cosmic fireball</a></strong></p>.<p>The USS Enterprise was the starship in the sci-fi show whose mission was to "go boldly where no man has gone before."</p>.<p>Celestis said the hair samples of the four former presidents were gifted by an anonymous donor and were accompanied by certificates of authenticity.</p>.<p>It said they originally came from the collection of Louis Mushro, a "celebrity hair collector and appraiser" from Michigan who died in 2014.</p>.<p>"These hair samples have been in a climate-controlled facility for several years in preparation for this mission," Celestis said in a statement.</p>.<p>"By adding the DNA of these American icons to Enterprise, we establish a precursor for future human missions, and add to the historical record of human exploration of deep space," Celestis co-founder and CEO Charles Chafer said.</p>.<p>The hair samples and thimble-sized capsules of cremated remains are to be carried into space by a ULA Vulcan rocket scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the next few months on its maider flight.</p>.<p>The ULA rocket is to deploy two satellites, send a private lunar lander to the Moon and then launch the payload of hair samples and remains into deep space.</p>.<p>ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno said it was a "tremendous honor to work with Celestis to launch these four esteemed US presidents on our Vulcan launch vehicle."</p>.<p>Celestis sent some of Roddenberry's ashes into orbit around the Earth on its premier "Founders Flight" rocket launch in 1997.</p>.<p>The Houston company currently charges $4,995 to launch remains into Earth orbit and a voyage into deep space beyond the Moon begins at $12,500.</p>