Star Trek: Portion of Nichelle Nichols’ Ashes to Be Launched Into Space

Star Trek icon Nichelle Nichols may be gone from this Earthly plane, but she will soon be one with the galaxy – quite literally. Nichols died on the final day of July this year, at the age of 89, just as her iconic Star Trek character, Nyota Uhura, is making a resurgence in the pop-culture spotlight. Now Nichelle Nichols is making headlines on her own: her ashes (which were donated by son Kyle Johnston) are being added to the deep-space voyage of the Celestis Voyager Memorial Spaceflight – the Enterprise Flight, which is being launched later this year. 

Nichelle Nichols will have the esteemed company of other Star Trek icons along with her in space, including the remains of creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife Majel Barrett Roddenberry, James “Scotty” Doohan, and visual effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull. Fans are also being invited to show their love for the late actress and have it immortalized, in the form of tribute messages and stories that will be compiled and carried along with her remains in the “Celetis Mindfile”  

You can send a tribute HERE. Details from the site include the following messages: 

Nichelle Nichols has inspired us all. Her portrayal of Nyota Uhura in Star Trek® was groundbreaking and even inspired Martin Luther King Jr.’s family! Now you can share your own story about how she inspired you and it will be sent into deep space aboard the first Celestis Voyager Memorial Spaceflight – the Enterprise Flight, launching later in 2022.

– Nichelle, the Roddenberrys, and James “Scotty” Doohan have chosen Celestis to launch a symbolic portion of their cremated remains aboard the upcoming Enterprise Flight. Share a message showing how Nichelle Nichols inspired you, and watch it launch into deep space on her final mission! Enter your information along with your message and join others worldwide in celebrating Nichelle and the discovery she inspired.

In addition to being a screen icon through Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols was also a Civil Rights activist and diversity advocate off-screen, working with NASA on such initiatives numerous times throughout the years. The Enterprise flight website also offers this quote from the late actress, which echoes both why Star Trek is still an important franchise – and what it should inspire fans to do in the real world: 

“Star Trek represented, and still does represent, the future we can have, a future that is beyond the petty squabbles we are dealing with here on Earth, now as much as ever, and we are able to devote ourselves to the betterment of all humankind by doing what we do so well: explore. This kind of a future isn’t impossible – and we need to all rethink our priorities to really bring that vision to life.” –Nichelle Nichols