Here's why it mattered
This article recounts the 1992 space shuttle mission where NASA astronaut James Wetherbee carried the ashes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry into space. It highlights this event as the first instance of a space burial, a practice that has since evolved into a commercial industry.
Why it matters
It marks a significant cultural milestone in space history, bridging the gap between science fiction and real-world space exploration.
With the first space burial, Gene Roddenberry boldly flew where no human cremains had flown before on this mission.
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Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter On Oct. 22, 1992, the space shuttle Columbia launched into space with the ashes of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of " Star Trek ," aboard.
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