One Last Out-of-This-World Adventure For Deceased Local DJ
Jeff Nelson lived a full life as a local disc jockey for KAST. He only had one big regret; he never fulfilled his dream of going to outer space. But thanks to the efforts of a few dear friends, that is about to change! Soon his ashes will rocket into outer space with the company, Celestis, experience brief weightlessness, and return to his loved ones in an engraved capsule about an inch long.
Jeffrey Scott Nelson, lovingly called “The Mouth of the Columbia” by his friends, died of natural causes at the age of 64. He worked as a disc jockey for over 30 years, providing the voice of companionship and local news to his fans in the Astoria area. Jeff also was an accomplished artist and voice impersonator. One of his favorite art drawing creations was of Johnny Carson. Jeff sent the drawing to Mr. Carson, who promptly signed it and returned it with a note complimenting his exceptional talent.
Mr. Nelson was also an avid Trekkie! He created a Star Trek comic book by himself and presented it to William Shatner, his longtime hero, at Comic-con. Another time, he won a nationwide “Talk Like Shatner” competition that included sending in a video of himself impersonating William Shatner!
Celestis conducts memorial spaceflights that orbit the planet or land on the moon, and in 2023 will take the remains of five original Star Trek cast members into deep space! The company’s CEO, Charles Chafer, was involved in the first private-party rocket launch into outer space on September 9th, 1982. In the early 1990s, Mr. Chafer and a partner founded Celestis, which has since launched 19 missions! Depending on the type of service selected, the cremated remains (or DNA) can stay in space for hours, years, decades, or even longer.
Currently, the company has eight employees, but they partner with many aerospace professionals, including a retired Director of the NASA Kennedy Space Center who has directed over 50 Space Shuttle launches in his lifetime. They offer space flight memorials through partnerships with more than 3,000 funeral homes in the United States and Canada. Their flights start at around $2,500, a surprisingly affordable price for fulfilling a loved one’s dying wishes and creating a sendoff larger than life!
Friends and family that Jeff left behind can watch the “Earth Rise” sunrise launch live at the launch site in New Mexico or remotely. They can also track the missions’ progress as it orbits the Earth using an easy-to-use tracking tool. After his capsule has floated weightless in space above 100km (about 62.14 mi), it will be returned to family and friends as a keepsake along with a certificate of authenticity and a professional video of the launch.
It will be a fantastic sendoff for a man who touched the lives of so many people in Astoria and beyond, loved to laugh, and cherished space exploration! With each completed mission, Celestis donates to a charity to honor those commemorated on their flights. It’s just one more way that Jeff Nelson can make a difference.
A LOCAL DJ AND NEWS REPORTER.
****************UPDATED INFORMATION ON JEFF’S JOURNEY**********
Here is the latest update from Celestis:NASA has directed UP Aerospace to scrub the planned launch that includes Celestis’ Aurora Flight. NASA will further test its payload Thursday morning; if the requisite launch enablers are in place, the next launch opportunities for the Aurora Flight will be available from Friday, December 9 to Tuesday, December 13. When the date is set, we will inform you as soon as we receive the information. As the primary payload provider, NASA sets the launch schedule. While this is not the outcome any of us wanted or predicted, it is a reality we must all face together. We appreciate so much your effort to join us on this mission, which is so important to you and your family. While we are highly confident the Aurora Flight will launch, we also recognize, as a secondary payload with no control over scheduling, the uncertainty of the exact flight date.
FIND INFORMATION ON CLESTIS SPACE FLIGHTS AT THIS LINK https://pages.celestis.com/memorial/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12069047671&utm_content=113071528741&utm_term=celestis&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMilvorR-wIVChpMCh2nBA5TEAAYASAAEgKFSvD_BwE
OBITUARY OF JEFF NELSON: https://www.dailyastorian.com/obituaries/obituary-jeffrey-s-nelson/article_17c4adb8-1592-11ec-b2b5-931872e998b0.html
