LifeShip and SPhotonix to Send 5D Memory Crystal to an Asteroid in Historic Deep-Space Mission

Newark, Delaware, May 18, 2026: LifeShip, a mission-driven organization working to extend life and knowledge beyond Earth, has partnered with SPhotonix, a leader in advanced optical data storage, to send a 5D Memory Crystal™ into deep space aboard an upcoming asteroid mission. The collaboration will create a billion-year archive of human knowledge, culture and life beyond Earth. 
LifeShip already has a similar pyramid monument on the Moon which successfully landed on March 2nd, 2025. 

Building on this milestone, LifeShip’s next mission will send a similar monument to an asteroid. At its core is a 5D Memory Crystal™ developed by SPhotonix. It features artwork by Samuel Stubblefield which was inspired by the earliest known hominid footprint and symbolizes our first traces on Earth. Encoded within the crystal is a community-curated archive which includes a collection of stories, art, knowledge, and cultural expression, alongside a record of Earth’s biological life. Together these artefacts form a lasting story of humanity. The crystal will travel aboard the AstroForge DeepSpace-2 mission which is targeting launch in November 2026. This mission aims to land on an asteroid, representing a major milestone in private deep-space exploration. SPhotonix 5D Memory Crystals™ use FemtoEtch™ technology to encode data within quartz glass at the nanoscale. This process creates an ultra-durable medium capable of preserving information for billions of years. Engineered to withstand vacuum, radiation, and extreme temperature fluctuations, the crystals are ideally suited for space environments which ensures that critical data survives where conventional storage cannot. In addition to the crystal archive, LifeShip’s monument includes a digitally preserved version of the complete human genome, encoded in long-lasting ceramic storage. It also carries a global gallery of art, an open archive of human knowledge, and a collection of stories contributed by people around the world. Together, these elements form one of the most enduring human artifacts ever sent beyond Earth, combining knowledge, culture, and technology to create a permanent record of our planet. Ben Haldeman, Founder of LifeShip, said: “There’s something profound about sending humanity’s genetic blueprint and collective story into deep space. We are placing a record of our planet on an asteroid, an archive that could outlast our civilization. This partnership with SPhotonix allows us to think beyond decades or centuries, to planetary and civilizational timescales. We’re no longer just inhabitants of Earth, we’re becoming stewards of life expanding outward.” Ilya Kazansky, CEO of SPhotonix, said: “This mission represents a remarkable intersection of technology, culture and exploration. Our 5D Memory Crystal™ enables information to be preserved on timescales far beyond traditional storage technologies. By sending the story of humanity into deep space we are demonstrating how advanced photonic storage can safeguard knowledge for future generations, wherever they may be. We’re thrilled that our pioneering technology is part of a mission that encompasses humanity’s curiosity, creativity and drive to explore.”