In the April 23, 2025 Print Edition of the New York Times, Journalist Maureen Cavanagh detailed the amazing discovery of the remains of rocket scientist Willy Ley, found in the basement of my apartment building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The outpouring of interest was so great I wanted to capture and detail additional information and document the next chapter in his journey.
I am pleased to share that through the generosity of Celestis Inc., Willy will be going to space in Spring 2026 (exact launch date is TBD). You can read more about the launch at SpaceNews.
In addition, I have reached out to the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL to request that Willy be remembered as part of their Space Exploration Wall of Honor. I am hopeful they will agree to do so.
All funds raised will go directly to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, NY to create a lasting tribute in Willy's name.
He Was a Prophet of Space Travel. His Ashes Were Found in a Basement.
by Maureen Cavanagh
During his life, Willy Ley predicted the dawn of the Space Age with remarkable accuracy. How did his remains end up forgotten in a co-op on the Upper West Side? Read full article at nytimes.com
What's next
Since the article published we have received a lot of inquiries from people inspired and moved by Willy and his story. To honor his role a pioneer of space travel, I am coordinating with NYTimes journalist Maureen Cavanagh to speak with several organizations and individuals to both ensure his final resting place is fitting and also find a way to honor his legacy.
Here are the avenues I am working on:
Remains to space.
A portion of Willy's remains are scheduled to go into space with Celestis Inc. in Spring 2026.
Final resting with family.
Unfortunately, Willy does not have any immediate family still living. However, I am in touch with all those with close connections to Willy as well as his US and German biographers and have kept all interested parties up to date on plans. Everyone is in agreement that seeing Willy to space would be his own wishes.
Lasting Tribute
I have established a GoFundMe to raise money for a lasting tribute in Willy's name at the American Museum of Natural History.
Space Exploration Wall of Honor
We would love to see a lasting tribute to Willy and his life and work at the US Space and Rocket Center in Houston and I have made initial connections there to explore that further.
