Nichelle Nichols played Lt. Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series.
Serving aboard the Enterprise as the Communications officer, Lt. Uhura spent a lot of time in space. But Nichelle Nichols, the woman behind the Starfleet officer, never had the opportunity to take a turn around the galaxy before she passed away on July 30th at the age of 89. But according to Space.com, that will change as Nichols was selected to be honored on the Texas-based Celestis’ first-ever deep space mission. Her cremated remains along with a DNA sample will be aboard the company’s upcoming “Enterprise Flight.”
Nichols won’t be alone on her journey as United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket will also carry the remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the Enterprise’s Chief engineer who was played by James Doohan, and special effects master, Douglas Trumball as well as others.
Nichelle Nichols would be “profoundly honored,” according to her son.
Nichols’ son, Kyle Johnson, will submit a DNA sample of his own which will allow him to take this journey with his mother. In a statement, Johnson said he mother would be “profoundly honored for this unique experience.”
Fans can join the celebration of Nichols’ life by submitting their name and tributes to her for free on Celestis’ website. All names and messages received will be digitized and launched into the cosmos. Johnson encouraged fans to “contribute their thoughts, affections, memories, NN inspired successes, dreams, and aspirations via email to be launched with her on this flight.”
The Enterprise Flight will travel 93 million miles to 186 million miles into deep space beyond the Earth-moon system. As part of this memorial mission, over 200 flight capsules, containing cremated ash remains along with special messages and additional DNA samples, will launch into into interplanetary space.
Nichelle Nichols will take her final flight later on this year.