NASA assessed the act of a businessman and a space tourist Richard Garriott , who brought the ashes of an actor from the” Star Trek “series to the International Space Station (ISS) James Doohan . This was reported by RIA Novosti .
The American department, in particular, recalled that Garriott was a member of the space flight from Roscosmos , in connection with which we advised you to contact your Russian colleagues or an entrepreneur directly. “NASA has a long cultural relationship with Star Trek and can appreciate the interest of fans around the world in this story,” said National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials.
Hero of Russia, cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov , former commander of the Soyuz spacecraft , on which Garriott went on a flight, condemned the businessman’s act. Astronautics expert Andrey Ionin stated RIA Novosti that the hidden delivery of uncoordinated cargo to the ISS is dangerous. This could lead to the fall of the station to Earth and pose a threat to the crew members.
December 29 it became known that the ashes of the Star Trek star are on for 12 years secretly kept on the ISS. His son Chris asked Garriott to bring his father’s ashes to the ISS, laminated into his portrait. In October 2008, a businessman who went to the station as a space tourist managed to bring a photograph to the ISS and hide it under the inner cover of the European module Columbus.
According to the businessman, this was done top secret. Garriott, fearing a fine, asked the actor’s relatives not to publicize this fact. Dukhan’s family was glad that his ashes were on board the ISS, although upset that it could not be revealed publicly.
Canadian actor James Doohan rose to fame by playing the role of Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in Star Trek and its sequel films. He died in 2005 at the age of 85.