In November 2015 near the beaches of
Hawaii, the latest incarnation of a military rocket dating back to the
early 1960s called the Super Strypi launched
its inaugural voyage. At first operations appeared normal. The rocket
lifted off, departed the white sands, began spinning, which stabilizes
the craft, and seemed destined for a planned orbit about 260 miles above
the planet.
But about a
minute after takeoff something went wrong –– the Defense Department
doesn't share specifics –– and the Super Strypi came crashing back to
Earth, splashing down in the Pacific. Failed rocket launches aren't
noteworthy by themselves. But this vessel had a curious payload: human remains, packed into metal cubes.-Priceonomics
