Gene Roddenberry Ashes Launched Into Space On NASA Shuttle

On October 22, 1992, the space shuttle Columbia launched into orbit carrying a small container holding a portion of the ashes of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, marking a quiet milestone in space exploration history.

Astronaut James Wetherbee carried Roddenberry’s ashes on STS-52

Shuttle commander and NASA astronaut James Wetherbee carried a small container holding a portion of Roddenberry’s ashes among his personal effects during the STS-52 mission aboard the space shuttle Columbia, which lifted off from pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

The arrangement was made at the request of the television producer’s widow, Majel Barrett.

Roddenberry never got the opportunity before his death.

The memorial flight fulfilled that ambition almost exactly one year after he passed away.

Photo: digg.com

Details of the Secret Flight Emerged in 1994

Neither the space agency nor the family disclosed the payload to the public at the time of the flight.

The mission remained a private arrangement for nearly two years, until details emerged in 1994.

I’m just glad I was able to bring a little happiness to the family.

James Wetherbee, via Space

Wetherbee also noted that he felt honored to be asked by Barrett to bring the cremated remains on the flight.

Celestis Commercialized Memorial Flights in 1997

The clandestine operation aboard Columbia established a precedent. Approximately five years later, in 1997, a dedicated memorial enterprise known as Celestis began commercializing the concept by flying capsules filled with human remains on various rockets.

Additional portions of Roddenberry’s ashes later flew on the Celestis founders flight in April 1997, which launched from the Canary Islands in Spain using an air-launched Pegasus rocket.

The company expanded its operations to suborbital and orbital missions, utilizing modern vehicles including SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets.

Deep Space Missions Carry Cremains Beyond Earth Orbit

Subsequent commercial memorial flights included the ashes of Roddenberry’s wife, Majel Barrett, and Star Trek actor James Doohan.

In 1999, the Luna 1 flight carried the ashes of astronomer Eugene Shoemaker to the moon.

Another set of cremains was sent into deep space on the Enterprise mission in 2023.

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