Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols to Have Remains Sent Into Deep Space

August 27, 2022

Star Trek icon Nichelle Nichols will have some of her remains placed on an interplanetary deep space rocket trip that Celestis Inc. has planned.

The late actress, who passed away in July at the age of 89, will have some of her ashes included on the United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket as part of Celstis Inc.’s upcoming Enterprise flight (via The Hollywood Reporter).

The private space flight is set to take off sometime later this year and will see its rocket head beyond the James Webb telescope and into deep space, which the company says will make the rocket the most distant permanent human repository outpost, as well as a potential pathfinder for future humans.

Nichols’ ashes will also be joined by a few other big names in the world of Star Trek, including James Doohan (who played Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in the series), Star Trek creator and screenwriter Gene Roddenberry, and his wife, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. Majel was also an actress and appeared in a variety of Star Trek series and films, with her most notable role being in the form of Nurse Christine Chapel from the original series.

Nichols played communications officer Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the original 1966 Star Trek series and also appeared in the first six Star Trek films. Her portrayal in the series was incredibly groundbreaking for African American actors on American television, specifically African American women.