On July 30, 2022 Star TrekNichelle Nichols, actress, died at the age 89. Nichols played Nyota Ura in Star Trek: The Original SeriesThe first six Star Trek movies, and along with the character traveling through space as a member of the USS Enterprise, Nichols herself worked with NASA to promote the agency’s programs and help recruit more women and minority astronauts. So it’s only fitting that Nichols’ ashes are going into deep space.
Kyle Johnson, Nichelle Nichols’ son, has provided a portion of his mother’s ashes to be taken into space on a rocket known as the Vulcan, which is a nice Star Trek nod on its own since that’s the name of one of the franchise’s most well-known alien species. The rocket will launch later this year, and before sending Nichols’ ashes, deep into the solar system for this “Enterprise”Mission (see what they did there?)), it will drop a robotic lunar lander onto the moon to be used as a scout for NASA’s future Artemis flights to Earth’s natural satellite. Fans of Nichols’ can visit the Celestis Memorial SpaceflightsMemorial website for tribute messages to the actress who has passed away “digitized and launched”As part of this journey. Johnson stated this in a statement.
I’m sure she would have much preferred to go on the shuttle, but this was a pretty close second.
Nichelle Nickels is the latest high profile individual to be connected with the Star TrekFranchise whose ashes were sent into space. The same happened to James Doohan, who played Montgomery). “Scotty” Scott), Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Roddenberry’s wife Majel Barrett (who played Number One in the first Star Trek: The Original Series pilot called “The Cage”Later, she starred as Christine Chapel and VFX star Douglas Trumbull. Nichols’ ashes will be accompanied by samples of her and her son’s DNA.
In the days following her death, many people became involved in fundraising. Star TrekFamous icons have paid tribute to Nichelle Nichols. These include George Takei and William Shatner who co-starred alongside her in Star Trek: The Original SeriesAs Hikaru Sulu and James Kirk, respectively. Whoopi Goldberg, who portrayed Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation, also shared a heartfelt response to Nichols’ passing on The View, and Zoe Saldaña recalled when she met Nichols for the first time and the advice she shot on taking over the Uhura role for the Kelvin timeline-set Star Trek movies. Takei, Shatner and Walter Koenig who played Pavel Chekov are now available. The Original Series’ only surviving main cast members.
Nichelle Nichols’ work in the Star TrekParamount+ subscribers are able to view franchise. Ceila Gooding can also play a younger version. Star Trek: Strange New WorldsNext year, the will air its second season.