Rhode Island woman realizes husband's wish of sending his ashes to space

COVENTRY, R.I. (WJAR) — A Rhode Island woman said her husband's ashes are on a special adventure to space.

Nancy Kent's husband Robert Kent passed away in 2015 after battling cancer.Since his death, the Coventry woman had a decades-old conversation with her husband on her mind.

I asked, 'What do you want do you want done with your ashes?' And he was a smart aleck and said, 'Put them in an ash tray, what else would you do?' And then he said, 'No, wouldn't it be cool to be shot up into space?" Nancy said.

A few years ago, Nancy's neighbors who work for SpaceX let her know Robert's dream to reach the stars was possible through a company called Celestis.

Last week, some of Robert's ashes were sent up to space in capsule on a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket. They'll be orbiting earth for five years.

The launch happened in California.

"I was very very fortunate to have him in life for 32-and-a-half years, and I just feel honored to have been able to do this for him," Nancy said

While Nancy's family was unable to be at the launch, she was able to attend a memorial service and spread some of her husband's ashes on a California beach.

Now, she's waiting for a signal from beyond Earth.

He'll be orbiting around the Earth every 90 minutes, and I am waiting for my transmitter to come in because every time he's above it will flash and I just think that's awesome," she said. "I can't wait."

It took two years for Nancy to get a flight for Robert.