KISS fans have launched a campaign to make Ace Frehley a posthumous honorary astronaut – find out more below.
The guitarist and founding member of the iconic rock group died in Morristown, New Jersey on October 16. He was 74 years old.
Per a statement shared by his family, Ace – also known as Spaceman – died “peacefully surrounded by family” following “a recent fall at his home”. An exact cause of death has yet to be shared, but reports indicate that an investigation into his death has since been launched by a medical examiner in New Jersey.
Following Frehley’s passing, a Change.org petition was launched in an effort to convince NASA to award the guitarist with honorary astronaut status. The petition – started by a fan named Kathryn – has since received over 350 signatures and counting, having only recently gone viral.
The campaign page, hinting at his ‘Spaceman’ nickname reads: “On October 16, 2025, the world lost not just a legend, not just a rock icon, but also a good man. Paul Daniel ‘Ace’ Frehley, at the tender age of 21, was brave enough to take one small orange step and one small red step, and make the giant leap into the global phenomenon that we all now know as KISS. And while MOST of his dreams ended up coming true, at least ONE did NOT.
“When he suddenly passed away from a brain bleed following a head injury at 74, he was still only merely PLAYING the character of a Space Cadet. He NEVER got to be one for REAL. In honor of his memory, all the lives directly and indirectly impacted by him, and his one last remaining unfulfilled wish, NASA should posthumously make Ace Frehley an honorary astronaut with the rank of ‘Captain’, because a celestial being of his caliber doesn’t deserve anything less of a send-off than this. His last countdown should be his absolute BEST!”
NASA has yet to comment on the petition.
Shortly after the news of Ace’s passing, Frehley’s former bandmates Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley told Page Six: “We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
The guitarist co-founded KISS in 1973 with singer Paul Stanley, bassist and part-time singer Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. After nearly a decade, Frehley had left the band to pursue a solo career, coupled with his struggles with substance abuse and rising tension within the band about their direction.
In the years following his exit from KISS, Frehley formed a new band, Frehley’s Comet, and he would rejoin KISS for their reunion in 1996 – staying with them until 2002. He did not join them for their farewell world tour in 2022. Among the songs Ace helped write for KISS were classics like ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’, ‘Rock And Roll All Nite’, ‘Detroit Rock City’, ‘Love Gun’ and more.
On December 7, the late guitarist will become the third musician to posthumously receive a Kennedy Center Honour (via Far Out). He follows on from Eagles’ Glenn Frey and Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh in getting the award.
Other names who have paid tribute to Frehley include Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Nile Rodgers, Steve Vai, John 5, Rush, Alice Cooper, and more.
