History Main / BurialInSpace

* In Asimov's short story "C-Chute", the eponymous item is a euphemism for "casualty chute", which itself is a euphemism for / abbreviation of "chute used to eject coffins into space". The protagonist uses one to exit from the ship, because the part in which he and the other humans are imprisoned doesn't include any of the airlocks. To avoid alerting the aliens who have captured the ship, and thereby recapture it, he re-enters by an equally unconventional route.

* ''The Stars, My Brothers'' by Creator/EdmondHamilton. The decision is made to have those killed in the space program placed in orbit around the Moon, but only for PR reasons. There's vague talk of scientists developing HumanPopsicles one day, so this way the Powers That Be can offset criticisms of the casualty rate by saying they'll be revived some day. A hundred years later [[AccidentalTruth this is exactly what happens]].

* A portion of Gene Roddenberry's ashes were put in a capsule and launched into low earth orbit, where it stayed for a few months before re-entering the atmosphere.

* ''Film/ConquestOfSpace'' (1955). Because his decomposing body would poison the air, a deceased crewman is secured outside the spaceship. Realising the sight of his body drifting outside the viewport is affecting morale, the captain pushes the body off into space after a moving eulogy.

* Not shown, but is a plot point in ''Film/{{Outland}}''. Marshal O'Niel wants to know where the bodies of the miners who've died after going crazy have gone. He's told they're taken away on the shuttle and ThrownOutTheAirlock halfway to the space station. "Burial at sea, and all that." Of course, this is a useful way of ensuring there are no bodies around to autopsy.

[[quoteright:264:[[ComicBook/XWingSeries https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/funeral_in_space_4911.JPG]]]]

* Happens in various ways in the Franchise/StarWarsLegends, mostly the ComicBook/XWingSeries.

** The drifting coffins variety seems to be the most popular version of this trope when a pilot's body can be recovered, appearing in several {{Meaningful Funeral}}s. They're often [[TractorBeam tractored]] out into space and nudged towards the star. When a body ''can't'' be recovered, as happened to [[ComicBook/XWingSeries Jesmin Ackbar]], a torpedo is used as a symbolic stand-in.

* ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'' has a planet that sends their dead into space on a rocket, the protagonists manage to escape said planet by hiding in a coffin.

* Also used in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Gundam SEED Destiny]]''. After Lacus's BodyDouble Meer Campbell pulls a HeroicSacrifice for Lacus, her body is first retrieved by the group (with Athrun [[BridalCarry carrying her in his arms]] and dressed [[WhiteShirtofDeath in a]] [[WomaninWhite white gown]]). Then Meer's body is placed in a space capsule full of white flowers, and after Lacus tearfully says goodbye, the capsule is shot into space.

* Silbad's coffin is launched into space at the end of ''Animation/TimeMaster''.

* ''Film/TheBlackHole'' has the "humanoid robots" perform one of these for one of their own, which is another clue towards TheReveal.

* The 7th issue of the Eleventh Doctor comic book series from ''Doctor Who (Titan)'' features the eternal dogfight, an [[ForeverWar eternal war]] between two species that is constantly moving throughout the universe. One page shows a long line of coffins floating away from the space station into the local sun.

* Happens in various ways in the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'', mostly the ''ComicBook/XWingSeries''.

** The drifting coffins variety seems to be the most popular version of this trope when a pilot's body can be recovered, appearing in several {{Meaningful Funeral}}s. They're often [[TractorBeam tractored]] out into space and nudged towards the star.
*** When a body ''can't'' be recovered, as happened to [[ComicBook/XWingSeries Jesmin Ackbar]], a torpedo is used as a symbolic stand-in.
** ''Literature/{{Allegiance}}'' has a mortally wounded spacer named Tannis ask Mara Jade that she "bury him in space". She does.
** In a variation, Alderaanians mostly have their space coffins shot into "the Graveyard", the shattered remnants of their destroyed planet.

** [[Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato2199 The remake]] splits the difference, with a short scene in which three enemy personnel who were killed in a BoardingAction against the ''Yamato'' are [[DueToTheDead honourably buried according to proper custom]] at the same time as the ship's own dead. It fits the theme of Gamilon's people being NotSoDifferent and their military commanders being WorthyOpponents.

Usually the deceased in placed in a "space coffin". In some cases the coffin is actually a torpedo, which is shot out of the ship's torpedo tubes. It may even ''explode'', indicating that not only is it a torpedo but that it is actually armed. In less drastic examples, the coffin is taken out through the airlocks by mourners in space suits and allowed to simply drift off into space. Alternatively, you could HurlItIntoTheSun - ''[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill cremation by star]]'' is not that bad of a funeral.

** Also in "One Small Step" where the crew has a funeral with full honors for an early space explorer.

* Yondu receives a version of this at the end of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' after he [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices]] himself to save Peter. To the surprise of the Guardians the rest of the Ravagers come to celebrate his life with space fireworks.

** ''CitySlickers/{{Allegiance}}'' has a mortally wounded spacer named Tannis ask Mara Jade that she "bury him in space". She does.

* Yondu receives a version of this at the end of Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 after he [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices]] himself to save Peter. To the surprise of the Guardians the rest of the Ravagers come to celebrate his life with space fireworks.

* Kane's body in ''Film/{{Alien}}'' is jettisoned into space after the Alien bursts out of his chest. Traumatised after his unexpected death, the crew can find no last words to say about their shipmate. Rather than a [[SpaceIsSlowMotion stately drift into space]], the body is shot rapidly from the airlock.
* ''Film/AlienCovenant''. After Captain Branson dies in an accident, the [[YouAreInCommandNow new captain]] orders that repairs must take priority over ceremonies for the dead. In defiance of his orders, several crewmembers perform a LibationForTheDead before ejecting Branson's body out the airlock.

* Dizzy Flores in the ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' film. Her funeral serves mainly as a vehicle for Rico's CharacterDevelopment by demonstrating that he finally understands the concept of sacrifice during war.

* Dizzy Flores in the ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' film.

* Yondu receives a version of this at the end of Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 after he [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices]] himself to save Peter. To the surprise of the Guardians the rest of the Scavengers come to celebrate his life with space fireworks.

* Kane's body in ''Film/{{Alien}}'' is jettisoned into space after the Alien bursts out of his chest. Traumatised after his unexpected death, the crew can find no last words to say about their shipmate.