Scotty WAS blasted! Star Trek actor James Doohan’s ashes were smuggled aboard the International Space Station after his death in 2005
- Richard Garriott, 59, smuggled James Doohan’s ashes onto the ISS in 2008
- Doohan played Montgomery Scott and inspired the phrase ‘Beam me up, Scotty’
- His remains have secretly traveled more than 1.7 billion miles through space
Star Trek’s James Doohan had his ashes smuggled to the International Space Station, it has been revealed.
Mr. Doohan, who played Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott, asked for his ashes to be blasted into space when he died in 2005 at the age of 85.
The remains of the Canadian have now secretly traveled more than 1.7 billion miles in orbit through space.
Entrepreneur Richard Garriott, 59, smuggled Mr. Doohan’s ashes onto the ISS in 2008 on a 12-day mission as a private astronaut.
Star Trek’s James Doohan (pictured) had his ashes smuggled to the International Space Station, it has been revealed
A photo of Mr. Doohan with part of his ashes laminated on it was tucked under the cladding on the floor of the space station’s Columbus module
He was contacted by 61-year-old Chris, Mr. Doohan, days before taking a Russian Soyuz capsule to the ISS for a $ 30 million journey brokered by Space Adventures, a company he co-founded.
Mr. Garriott agreed to collect the ashes after Mr. Doohan’s wish to have his ashes shipped in 2007 and 2008 was quashed.
He took a card with a photo of Mr. Doohan and some of his ashes laminated to it and tucked under a covering on the floor of the Columbus module of the space station.
Mr. Garriott told The Times: “It was completely clandestine.
Entrepreneur Richard Garriott (pictured before his trip), 59, smuggled Mr. Doohan’s ashes onto the ISS in 2008 on a 12-day mission as a private astronaut
His family was happy that the ashes got there, but were disappointed that we couldn’t talk about it publicly.
Enough time has passed now that we can do that. James Doohan has been given his resting place among the stars. ‘
Mr. Doohan inspired the legendary catchphrase ‘Beam me up, Scotty’, even though it was never actually uttered on the hit television show.
Its ashes were sent into space in 2007 and launched from near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, before returning to Earth and being lost.
Mr. Garriott was launched to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz capsule (pictured) for a $ 30 million journey brokered by Space Adventures, a company he co-founded
They were sent up with the remains of some 200 other people, including astronaut Gordon Cooper, who first went into space in 1963. Cooper died in 2004 at the age of 77.
“It was great, it was fun and we want to go again,” said Doohan’s widow Wende, pressing the start button along with Cooper’s widow Susan.
The flight was organized by the Houston-based company Space Services Inc. The company charges $ 495 (£ 248) to send some of a person’s ashes to suborbital space.
During a 15-minute flight, the missile split into two parts and returned to Earth on parachutes with the capsules holding the remains. The maximum elevation reached was 384,000 feet or 72 miles.
Mr Doohan (pictured with William Shatner, who played Captain James Kirk on the show) inspired the legendary catchphrase ‘Beam me up, Scotty’, even though it was never actually uttered on Star Trek
Doohan’s ashes were sent into space in 2007 and launched from near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, before returning to Earth and being lost
Capsules containing the ashes had to be collected, mounted on plaques and returned to family members, but were lost on a mountainside.
In 1997, the company shot the remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry into space.
Crystal Warren saw her brother-in-law’s remains fly out of space.
‘He is going home. He’s here now. He wanted to be there forever, ”Warren said.