Aviation pioneer and astronaut Wally Funk, who died this summer at 87 years old, is set to return to space within the next few months.
Some of Funk's cremated remains will be aboard two separate space flights: one to orbit the earth and return, and another to head into deep space and not come back.
Grapevine City Council member Duff O'Dell was a close friend and caretaker to Funk in her final years of life.
O'Dell said she heard about Celestis, the memorial spaceflight company coordinating Funk's return to space, after her friend's celebration of life ceremony in early September. She booked a ticket for Funk shortly thereafter.
"I know she's smiling down because her dream of going into space was so short lived," O'Dell told KERA. "As soon as she came back, she said, 'That wasn't long enough, I wanted to go again.'"
Celestis CEO Charles Chafer was not immediately available for comment.
"Now she'll be in space forever," O'Dell said. "That makes me happy, to be able to do that for her."
O'Dell said the journey should take place sometime around the New Year. It's not clear yet where the launch will happen.
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