Late 'Star Trek' actress Nichelle Nichols' ashes to be launched into space

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The ashes of late Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols will be launched into space later this year.

Celestis, a private company that conducts memorial space flights, announced Friday that a portion of Nichols' ashes and a DNA sample will be launched into space by United Launch Alliance and released from a Vulcan Centaur rocket.

"We are truly honored to add a legendary actress, activist and educator to the Enterprise Flight manifest," Charles M. Chafer, co-founder and CEO of Celestis, said in a statement.

Nichols died July 31 at age 89. She was one of the first Black women to play a major role on a TV show and was best known for her role as Lt. Nyota Uhura on the flagship Star Trek series.

The rocket will also carry the ashes of other Star Trek figures including Gene Roddenberry, who created the series; his wife, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who played Nurse Chapel in the original series; James Doohan, who played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott; and Douglas Trumbull, who created visual effects for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The flight will travel between 90 and 180 miles into deep space and launch more than 200 flight capsules containing ashes, messages of greetings and DNA samples.

Celestis is also collecting tribute messages that fans can submit via the company's website.

"My only regret is that I cannot share this eternal tribute standing beside my mother at the launch," Kyle Johnson, Nichols' son, said. "I know she would be profoundly honored for this unique experience and enthusiastically encourage ALL of her FANS to join us vicariously by contributing your thoughts, affections, memories, NN inspired successes, dreams and aspirations via email to be launched with her on this flight!"