Blow me up Scotty: James Doohan's ashes scattered with Falcon 1
You may have already read about SpaceX’s failure to get their privately funded rocketship Falcon 1 into space on Saturday night, but just what you may have missed is the news that stowed onboard the doomed rocket-ship, ready for delivery to space, were three commercial satellites and the cremated remains of 200 people.
Of those 200 urns of ashes blown into mile-high confetti, one happened to contain the remains of everyone’s favourite Scottish Star Trek engineer: Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (actor James Doohan).
Famous for standing behind the transporter on board the USS Enterprise, Doohan inspired the phrase: “Beam me up Scotty!” and was often seen to be called upon by his Captain to fix the spaceship’s engines under incredible time constraints and adverse conditions.
All of which lends this story a sad air of tragic irony, because the ill-fated Falcon 1 (flight #3) was lost during the attempted separation of it’s second stage – roughly two minutes after take-off. An incident which Scotty would needless have remedied in time for the closing of Act III, when Kirk would have got the girl and punched the bad-guy square in the kisser.
Scotty, your ashes may be gone, but your spirit will travel the stars forever. Rest in peace, auld fella.
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