Do we launch them before or after death? Before death would be more interesting for the dying, but unless they agree, it would be inhuman. We would also probably need life support or it would be a weird way to go.
If they are already dead, we may as well cremate them first to reduce the weight. I've seen the cremated remains of people (in Korea the family heads down to the crematorium and....I don't really wanna talk about it). The point is, it isn't much and if one was to compress it, it would be very small.
Space X says launch costs are down to $2,720 per kilogram. Let's say you put 1kg of dead person into a tube, it could probably be sent up for 3~4k which is way cheaper than an average burial plot, marker stone, nice urn, etc. Besides, you can get a filmed copy of the launch and just look up inside of having to go to some graveyard.
If they are dead, technically we are already in space, so it would be pointless to send them out of Earth's atmosphere. In my case, I want to be cremated and disposed of in a government/family acceptable manner.
Before death. See @mattclarke's post for details.
I guess the idea would be the same as with some tribal societies whose elderly sailed off never to be seen again. Matt said it would be voluntary. People who opt to die this way rather than in a hospital bed would wear space suits and be able to observe the magnificient view of the Earth beneath them until their orbits degrade and they begin their re-entry into the atmosphere. Before that, the gas mixture given to them would be lowered in oxygen to make them pass out and die before the going gets too hot.
Sending somebody's ashes into space actually sounds like a brilliant idea. There's something solemn about having one's ashes launched into space. Space launches are a majestic sight.
yes, I read about the proposed service somewhere.