As of last Wednesday, 20 Beijing residents have registered for a new outer space funeral service launched in February by Chinese Descent Funeral Service, reports the Star Daily.

The living can put belongings or cremains of the deceased into small, lipstick-sized bottles, which are then rocketed past the outer limits of the earth's atmosphere.

The service has been available since mid-February, but surprisingly it didn't attract any customers until a month after it had been implemented.

Customers can send hair, photos and a card with the name and birth date of the deceased if they purchase an "outer space grave." Less than five of those registered wanted their cremated remains made orbital.

Sun, project manager of the Yanqing County-based funeral service, said most customers preferred to only send hair at an average cost somewhere between 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) and 20,000 yuan (US$2,500).

"It is more economical," Sun said.

"Our customers will likely sign the contract and pay our American headquarters by next month," Sun said.

The sixth outer space funeral, slated to be held in March has been postponed until this June. Customers will be also able to attend the funeral rites for the deceased held in America before the launch.

For many aeronautic and space enthusiasts this service presents a chance to fulfill their dreams of traveling through outer space. "But there are still some practical problems in our project," Sun said.

"When people hear about the funeral service held before the remains are sent to space, some people give up," said Sun. "They had originally planned to send pieces of themselves while they were still alive."

"So we likely will launch another project for people who are still living for less than 10,000 yuan," he added.

(China Daily March 24, 2006)