On Thursday (August 25th), the Texas-based company Celestis announced that Nichelle Nichols‘ cremated remains will go to deep space aboard what has been aptly named the “Vulcan rocket.” Nichols, who made history as the first Black woman in a leading role on primetime television, passed away at the age of 89 on July 30th.
While Nichols starred as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series and advocated for women to go to space, she never traveled to space herself while she was alive. Her son, Kyle Johnson, said in a statement, “My only regret is that I cannot share this eternal tribute standing beside my mother at the launch. 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! WOW!”
The “Enterprise Flight” will travel 93 million miles to 186 million miles into deep space and will release more than 200 flight capsules containing cremated ash remains, special messages, and DNA samples. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife Majel Barrett Roddenberry‘s ashes will be aboard the flight as well.