Some of the remains of Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek will be flown into space to be remembered by the show's fans.
At the height of the US civil rights movement, she was one of the first Black women to portray an empowering character on network television.
She has been added to the manifest of the real-life rocketship due to carry a collection of vials containing cremated ashes and DNA samples from dozens of departed space enthusiasts on a final, and eternal voyage around the sun.
The launch date hasn't been set.
James Doohan, who played the show's chief engineer, and Gene Roddenberry, the show's creator, have both had their remains launched into space.
The remains of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, the wife of Roddenberry, as well as the renowned sci-fi visual effects artist Douglas Trumbull, will join the launch.
Celestis Inc., a Texas-based company that has created a unique niche in the burgeoning commercial space sector by offering a measure of cosmic immortality to customers that can afford a dramatic send-off, is organizing the launch.
The fees and other financial information of the service has not been made public.
The United Launch Alliance is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
Charles Chafer said that the Enterprise Flight will fly into deep space, beyond the gravity of the Earth and moon, and eventually enter a permanent solar position.
Kyle Johnson said it was a great memorial for his mother.
In the 70s, she was hired by Nasa to help recruit more marginalized groups and women to the space agency, where she was influential in attracting such talent as the first female US astronauts, Sally Ride and Mae Jemison.
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