Star Trek actor James Doohan’s ashes smuggled on board the International Space Station

Scotty IS beamed up! Star Trek actor James Doohan’s ashes were smuggled on board the International Space Station after his death in 2005

  • Richard Garriott, 59, smuggled James Doohan’s ashes on to the ISS in 2008
  • Doohan played Montgomery Scott and inspired the phrase ‘Beam me up, Scotty’
  • His remains have traveled more than 1.7 billion miles through space in secret 

Star Trek’s James Doohan had his ashes smuggled onto the International Space Station, it has been revealed.

Mr Doohan, who played Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott, asked for his ashes to be beamed to space when he died at the age of 85 in 2005.

The Canadian’s remains have now traveled more than 1.7 billion miles in orbit through space in secret.

Entrepreneur Richard Garriott, 59, smuggled Mr Doohan’s ashes on to the ISS in 2008 during a 12-day mission as a private astronaut.

Star Trek’s James Doohan (pictured) had his ashes smuggled onto the International Space Station, it has been revealed

A picture of Mr Doohan with some of his ashes laminated on was tucked under cladding on the floor of the space station’s Columbus module

A picture of Mr Doohan with some of his ashes laminated on was tucked under cladding on the floor of the space station’s Columbus module

He was contacted by Mr Doohan’s son Chris, 61, days before he launched to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz capsule for a $30 million trip brokered by Space Adventures, a company he cofounded.

Mr Garriott agreed to take the ashes up after Mr Doohan’s wish to have his ashes sent up were dashed in 2007 and 2008.

He took a card with a picture of Mr Doohan and some of his ashes laminated on and tucked under cladding on the floor of the space station’s Columbus module.

Mr Garriott told The Times: ‘It was completely clandestine. 

Entrepreneur Richard Garriott (pictured before his trip), 59, smuggled Mr Doohan's ashes on to the ISS in 2008 during a 12-day mission as a private astronaut

Entrepreneur Richard Garriott (pictured before his trip), 59, smuggled Mr Doohan’s ashes on to the ISS in 2008 during a 12-day mission as a private astronaut

‘His family were pleased that the ashes made it up there but were disappointed we didn’t get to talk about it publicly. 

‘Now enough time has passed that we can. James Doohan got his resting place among the stars.’

Mr Doohan inspired the legendary catch phrase ‘Beam me up, Scotty’, even though it was never actually uttered on the popular television show. 

His ashes were sent into space in 2007 were launched from near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, before they returned to Earth and were lost. 

Mr Garriott was launched to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz capsule (pictured) for a $30 million trip brokered by Space Adventures, a company he cofounded

Mr Garriott was launched to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz capsule (pictured) for a $30 million trip brokered by Space Adventures, a company he cofounded

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 age 77.

‘It was great, it was fun and we want to go again,’ said Doohan’s widow Wende, who pressed the launch button with Cooper’s widow Susan, said at the time.

The flight was arranged by Houston-based company Space Services Inc. The company charges $495 (£248) to send a portion of a person’s ashes into suborbital space. 

During a 15-minute flight, the rocket separated into two parts and returned to Earth on parachutes with the capsules holding the remains. The maximum height reached was 384,000 feet or 72 miles.

Mr Doohan (pictured with William Shatner, who played Captain James Kirk in the show) inspired the legendary catch phrase 'Beam me up, Scotty', even though it was never actually uttered on Star Trek

Mr Doohan (pictured with William Shatner, who played Captain James Kirk in the show) inspired the legendary catch phrase ‘Beam me up, Scotty’, even though it was never actually uttered on Star Trek

Doohan's ashes were sent into space in 2007 were launched from near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, before they returned to Earth and were lost

Doohan’s ashes were sent into space in 2007 were launched from near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, before they returned to Earth and were lost

Capsules containing the ashes were supposed to be retrieved, mounted on plaques and given back to relatives, but were lost on a mountainside. 

In 1997, the company blasted the remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry into space.

Crystal Warren saw the remains of her space enthusiast brother-in-law take flight. 

‘He’s going home. He’s there now. He has wanted to be up there forever,’ said Warren.

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