NASA Issues Statement On Leonard Nimoy's Passing

Adding to the collective voice of the entertainment community, social media and President Barack Obama, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has issued a statement regarding the passing of actor and filmmaker Leonard Nimoy.

"Leonard Nimoy was an inspiration to multiple generations of engineers, scientists, astronauts, and other space explorers. As Mr. Spock, he made science and technology important to the story, while never failing to show, by example, that it is the people around us who matter most," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden wrote in a statement.

"NASA was fortunate to have him as a friend and a colleague. He was much more than the Science Officer for the USS Enterprise. Leonard was a talented actor, director, philanthropist, and a gracious man dedicated to art in many forms.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the legions of Star Trek fans around the world."

Nimoy is generally regarded as being one of the most influential figures in popular culture in popularizing science and space exploration, and as such has long had a relationship with NASA. Below, you can check out a short film that Nimoy narrated for the organization in 2007 as a product of that relationship.

Produced in 2007, this overview video about NASA's Dawn mission to giant asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres was released before the spacecraft's launch that year. The mission greatly appreciated Leonard Nimoy's support and participation. Dawn investigated Vesta in 2011-2012, and will arrive at Ceres March 6, 2015.