Rod Roddenberry on joining his legendary 'Star Trek' parents
Jan 6, 2024 0:48:51 GMT
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Post by chillstar on Jan 6, 2024 0:48:51 GMT
The son of Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett prepares for the Jan. 8 launch debut of ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket.
The famous Roddenberry family is headed to the final frontier.
The DNA of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, as well as that of their son, Rod, is set to launch Jan. 8, on the debut liftoff of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket.
The main goals of the flight are to send the private Peregrine moon lander toward Earth's nearest neighbor, and to show that Vulcan Centaur is ready for prime time. But Houston space-memorial company Celestis booked a spot on the rocket as well, for a mission it calls the Enterprise Flight.
Besides preserved DNA samples from Rod and his late parents, the memorial flight includes the cremated remains, memory files and DNA capsules of "Star Trek" icons Nichelle "Uhura" Nichols, James "Scotty" Doohan, and DeForest "Bones" Kelley.
Also going up on Jan. 8 is the DNA of George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, Academy Award-winning special effects legend Douglas Trumbull ("2001: A Space Odyssey," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"), and others. Genetic material of ULA CEO Tory Bruno and his wife Rebecca will also be aboard. These samples will be carried into deep space, beyond the Earth-moon system.
Space.com spoke with Rod Roddenberry — who oversees Roddenberry Entertainment and serves as an executive producer on "Star Trek: Discovery," "Star Trek: Picard," "Star Trek: Lower Decks," "Star Trek: Prodigy" and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" — during the height of the holiday rush. He talked about how his ticket to the stars was punched, what his famous "Star Trek" parents would have thought about this exotic adventure, and what Christmastime was like in the Roddenberry household when Rod was growing up in sunny Los Angeles.
Space.com: "Star Wars" is often associated with summer fun and "Star Trek" with Christmastime, not just because many "Star Trek" films were released during the holidays, but due to the franchise's forward-looking focus and reflective themes. Have you ever considered that link to Christmas, and how do you view the two sci-fi titans?
Rod Roddenberry: I love when I hear something new about "Star Trek," and I can make up my own reasons right now based on that. There's giving and family and closeness and, hopefully, a little bit more intellect around Christmas. Summer is more action and play, which is "Star Wars." It's a great thought. I haven't spent much time with it, but I like it.
Space.com: How did you make the decision to add your DNA to the Celestis Enterprise Flight with your parents?
Roddenberry: This all started back in the '90s, with my mother and Charles Chafer from Celestis. He made a promise to her that he would fly my father's ashes up, and it took some time, but he did it. Then he made a promise that he would fly both of them together, and that has taken many, many years.
As we know, it's not easy to get space on these rockets going out, especially past our orbit. So it's incredible, and it's very symbolic. Who else should be shot out into space but the people who created and contributed to "Star Trek?" The tagline is: "Where no one has gone before." Well, Gene Roddenberry, his essence, Majel Roddenberry, and my DNA will truly be going, along with others, where no one has gone before.Space.com: What was the process like of providing your DNA to Celestis?
Roddenberry: It was simple. It's basically a Q-tip, a test tube, and some chemical that helps preserve your DNA. You just go around the inner part of your mouth, stick it in the tube, cap it up, put it in the self-addressed envelope and it's done. They do the science, and it becomes DNA.
Space.com: Will you attend the live Jan. 8 launch at Kennedy Space Center?
Roddenberry: It's 100% my intention to do so. That’s everything short of me guaranteeing I'll be there.
Space.com: What would mom and dad think of a memorial Enterprise Flight?
Roddenberry: It's hard to speak on behalf of them, but I can make some assumptions that I think are fairly accurate. My father was ahead of his time, and while I don't know if he specifically thought that this exactly would happen, I don't at all think he would be surprised by cremations or remains being sent out into space in a symbolic gesture. I feel like being placed in the ground is symbolic. Being cremated is symbolic.
Whatever you do with your physical remains when you're gone is, in my opinion, symbolic, and has meaning to the person and their family. So I think they would both find this very appropriate for their remains. Who else should live amongst the cosmos? Even if it is symbolically. It is Majel and Gene Roddenberry.
Source (here)
Footnotes: To say that this is a fantastic world, would be a gross understatement. Gene and Majel are finally going home.
The famous Roddenberry family is headed to the final frontier.
The DNA of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, as well as that of their son, Rod, is set to launch Jan. 8, on the debut liftoff of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket.
The main goals of the flight are to send the private Peregrine moon lander toward Earth's nearest neighbor, and to show that Vulcan Centaur is ready for prime time. But Houston space-memorial company Celestis booked a spot on the rocket as well, for a mission it calls the Enterprise Flight.
Besides preserved DNA samples from Rod and his late parents, the memorial flight includes the cremated remains, memory files and DNA capsules of "Star Trek" icons Nichelle "Uhura" Nichols, James "Scotty" Doohan, and DeForest "Bones" Kelley.
Also going up on Jan. 8 is the DNA of George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, Academy Award-winning special effects legend Douglas Trumbull ("2001: A Space Odyssey," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"), and others. Genetic material of ULA CEO Tory Bruno and his wife Rebecca will also be aboard. These samples will be carried into deep space, beyond the Earth-moon system.
Space.com spoke with Rod Roddenberry — who oversees Roddenberry Entertainment and serves as an executive producer on "Star Trek: Discovery," "Star Trek: Picard," "Star Trek: Lower Decks," "Star Trek: Prodigy" and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" — during the height of the holiday rush. He talked about how his ticket to the stars was punched, what his famous "Star Trek" parents would have thought about this exotic adventure, and what Christmastime was like in the Roddenberry household when Rod was growing up in sunny Los Angeles.
Space.com: "Star Wars" is often associated with summer fun and "Star Trek" with Christmastime, not just because many "Star Trek" films were released during the holidays, but due to the franchise's forward-looking focus and reflective themes. Have you ever considered that link to Christmas, and how do you view the two sci-fi titans?
Rod Roddenberry: I love when I hear something new about "Star Trek," and I can make up my own reasons right now based on that. There's giving and family and closeness and, hopefully, a little bit more intellect around Christmas. Summer is more action and play, which is "Star Wars." It's a great thought. I haven't spent much time with it, but I like it.
Space.com: How did you make the decision to add your DNA to the Celestis Enterprise Flight with your parents?
Roddenberry: This all started back in the '90s, with my mother and Charles Chafer from Celestis. He made a promise to her that he would fly my father's ashes up, and it took some time, but he did it. Then he made a promise that he would fly both of them together, and that has taken many, many years.
As we know, it's not easy to get space on these rockets going out, especially past our orbit. So it's incredible, and it's very symbolic. Who else should be shot out into space but the people who created and contributed to "Star Trek?" The tagline is: "Where no one has gone before." Well, Gene Roddenberry, his essence, Majel Roddenberry, and my DNA will truly be going, along with others, where no one has gone before.Space.com: What was the process like of providing your DNA to Celestis?
Roddenberry: It was simple. It's basically a Q-tip, a test tube, and some chemical that helps preserve your DNA. You just go around the inner part of your mouth, stick it in the tube, cap it up, put it in the self-addressed envelope and it's done. They do the science, and it becomes DNA.
Space.com: Will you attend the live Jan. 8 launch at Kennedy Space Center?
Roddenberry: It's 100% my intention to do so. That’s everything short of me guaranteeing I'll be there.
Space.com: What would mom and dad think of a memorial Enterprise Flight?
Roddenberry: It's hard to speak on behalf of them, but I can make some assumptions that I think are fairly accurate. My father was ahead of his time, and while I don't know if he specifically thought that this exactly would happen, I don't at all think he would be surprised by cremations or remains being sent out into space in a symbolic gesture. I feel like being placed in the ground is symbolic. Being cremated is symbolic.
Whatever you do with your physical remains when you're gone is, in my opinion, symbolic, and has meaning to the person and their family. So I think they would both find this very appropriate for their remains. Who else should live amongst the cosmos? Even if it is symbolically. It is Majel and Gene Roddenberry.
Source (here)
Footnotes: To say that this is a fantastic world, would be a gross understatement. Gene and Majel are finally going home.