They’re returning to the stars. According to the astronomy site Universe Today, the ashes of four special people are gearing up for space travel. These are the ashes of Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, Majel Barret Roddenberry, and Gene Roddenberry. What makes these names so special? They’re none other than Lt. Uhura, Scotty, Nurse Chapel, and the creator of the landmark science fiction television series, Star Trek. The ashes of the special effects artist and film director, Douglas Trumbull, will also be joining the crew.

The ashes and DNA of this crew will be part of the “Enterprise Mission,” which is being organized by the Houston-based Celestis. The company centers around “space burials,” or launching cremated remains into space. The ceremony will start the launch of a Vulcan rocket, where the four will be among the secondary payloads of United Launch Alliance’s first Vulcan Centaur Mission.

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ULA’s first assignment is to deliver the lander Peregrine to the surface of the moon. But afterward, the Centaur, carrying the attached payloads, will direct for a “graveyard orbit,” where it will begin circling the sun. The payloads will include over 150 capsules of cremated remains, DNA samples, and messages to travel in the vast space above.

Nichelle Nichols and Others to Boldly Go…

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The initial announcement for the Enterprise Mission launch was made in January, where Celestis announced an agreement with ULA. Celestis Co-Founder and CEO Charles M. Chafer expressed his excitement of the deal. He spoke fondly of where the spark began for the mission.

Tony Bruno, CEO and president of ULA, expressed equal excitement for the project.

“We’re very pleased to be fulfilling, with this mission, a promise I made to Majel Barrett Roddenberry in 1997 that one day we would fly her and husband Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry together on a deep space memorial spaceflight. The mission is named Enterprise in tribute to them - and also fellow mission participant and beloved actor, James “Scotty” Doohan - as well as the many Star Trek fans who are joining them on this, the 20th Celestis Memorial Spaceflight. We look forward to launching this historic mission on a rocket named Vulcan.”

While initially, the idea was only for the Roddenberrys and Doohan, the death of Nichols last July made the team reach out to her family with the offer of inclusion. Kyle Johnson, her son, confirms the contact from Chafer.

“We are honored that Celestis has selected ULA to launch this important mission. What a fitting tribute to the Roddenberry family and the Star Trek fans to be a part of the maiden flight of Vulcan, our next-generation rocket.”

After Nichols finished her initial role on Star Trek, NASA enlisted her to help boost up-and-coming young women and people of color to join the space agency and apply. Both in the fictional world and in our world, Nichols was an inspiration for generations of young minds to look to the stars. Now, by the end of the year, fans can look for her among them. Johnson comments about her thoughts on the mission.

“I was kind of in a state of shock, alternately crying my eyes out or feeling kind of numb, and then we were contacted by Charlie and the crew, and informed of this and invited to participate. The timing could not have been better, and it was a really amazing thing to contemplate.”

“I’m sure she would have much preferred to go on the shuttle, but this was a pretty close second.”