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Sci-Fi Space Science

Scotty Scooped Up 90

Posted by CowboyNeal from the captain's-log-supplemental dept.
mmarlett writes "Scotty has been found. 'The ashes of late Star Trek actor James Doohan have been found in mountains in the US state of New Mexico, where they landed after a brief flight in space.' And pretty much where they thought they put them, too."
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Scotty Scooped Up More

Scotty Scooped Up

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  • But.. (Score:5, Funny)

    by PyrotekNX ( 548525 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @08:26AM (#19190285)
    Scotty doesn't know, Scotty doesn't know..
    • Seriously did noone catch the Euro Trip reference... that had me laughing immediately...

      Still, getting lost in the mountains isn't quite getting cheated on... but getting sent to space for FOUR MINUTES!!! That would make me spin in my creamted grave...
    • they should put him in a mars probe

      atleast a lagrange point
    • Hey I heards there was some other secret stuff on the rocket by a company called Microgravity Enterprises. They're not even talking about it. Does anybody know what's going on? Michelle

  • what impact did he leave ? (Score:3, Funny)

    by axonis ( 640949 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @08:28AM (#19190293)
    whats the photo of the impact site like ? youtube ?

  • a brief flight in space (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    a brief flight in space

    Somehow that is worse than a common burial.

    Are we so afraid that space-trash could bring down our satellites that we fuck with space-burials but don't care about climate changes on the other hand?
  • That has to be among the most excited ashes in the world.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by kestasjk ( 933987 )
      More like the most excited ashes in the whole galaxy!

      The problem with things like this is that the stuff we're made of isn't who we are. Not in a metaphorical sense, but literally.
      If you look at an old photo of yourself what you see is no longer what you are made of (except your teeth, if you're an looking at an adult photo).

      Your remains/cremated ashes are just the matter you were made of when you die. No more or less sacred than your skin flakes, sweat, crap, etc, which also contains matter which us

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by tverbeek ( 457094 )

        Maybe there are more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something..
        It's symbolic. To many sentient beings, symbols mean something.
        • Yes, but perhaps not to Scotty. I think that's what he meant anyway. And what I meant. ;-)

          • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

            by Jugalator ( 259273 )
            One more thing I need to add on... I'd personally think that doing something that actually matters to us beyond on an emotional level would be a nicer thing to do, such as helping fund e.g. Alzheimer research in his honor. While it wouldn't save Scotty, it could help others in his situation in the future, and that would be a real world difference that I'm sure Scotty would appreciate. Sorry if I'm being an insensitive clod, but I think this is rather just a big bunch of money that will end up serving news h

            • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

              by tverbeek ( 457094 )
              The cost to Jimmy's family of doing this was only $495. A wee bit of him basically hitched a ride on an test mission that was happening anyways.

            • Re:Cool! (Score:4, Insightful)

              by evilviper ( 135110 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @06:41PM (#19194293) Journal

              I'd personally think that doing something that actually matters to us beyond on an emotional level would be a nicer thing to do, such as helping fund e.g. Alzheimer research in his honor.

              What you're advocating is the old "Isn't there anything more important?" logical fallacy.

              We should, therefore, stop all human activity that doesn't directly involve keeping people alive and basically healthy. Which, incidentally, means artists and specifically actors like Mr. Doohan would be out of work, and a complete unknown.

              Doing the "emotional" stuff is actually quite important. What's the point of living 150 years with no art, no entertainment, nothing fun or enjoyable at all?
              • We just say it is a logical falacy to quiet our concience in the presence of human tragedy, very often generated by people acting in our own behalf.

                • We just say it is a logical falacy to quiet our concience in the presence of human tragedy,

                  No, we say it's a logical fallacy because it's a logical fallacy.

                  You can't claim that doing one thing precludes doing another.

                  It's also anything but a foregone conclusion that expending all human effort into research is effective, and will result in more treatments, more quickly.
        • That's illogical. [Does the eyebrow thing]

      • Re:Cool! (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Kjella ( 173770 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @12:13PM (#19191515) Homepage
        If you take the absoulte view that the body is nothing but a meatbag you used to live in, then no there's no way to "pay your respects". The person you are calling has left this existance and is out of reach. What's left is only your public display to others.

        I'd say most people don't work that way. People don't put flowers on graves to show off for others, but for the buried person and themselves. What has meaning and what is sacred is measured in beliefs and intentions, not in results.

        Everything about a dead person is a token. The body or the ashes is a token. The gravestone is a token. The flowers are a token. Sending him ashes on a small slingshot into space is a token. Sending them permanently out into space would be a token. If we raise a statue of him it's a token. If we hang up a picture on the family wall it's a token.

        In short, if it has meaning to the people willing to do it then STFU and let them pay their respects. The you can pay your respect to the dead the way you want, or not at all. But don't go around claiming to have the answer to "more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something" unless you want me pissing on your grave (does that have meaning?).
        • I have a feeling my grandparent post's poster would rather donate his body to science than have a grave anyways.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Jackmn ( 895532 )

          unless you want me pissing on your grave (does that have meaning?).
          He wouldn't care - he would be dead.

        • If you take the absoulte view that the body is nothing but a meatbag you used to live in, then no there's no way to "pay your respects".

          Maybe you're paying your respects to the person and not the meatbag? Maybe that was my whole point?

          But don't go around claiming to have the answer to "more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something" unless you want me pissing on your grave (does that have meaning?).

          If at some point you need a kidney transplant you might end up pissing on my grave using my own kidney. Maybe if you ever need a transplant you'll think twice about a persons legacy and what it has to do with the matter they're made out of.

          • Re: (Score:1)

            by Anon99 ( 1103597 )
            >If at some point you need a kidney transplant you might end up pissing on my grave using my own kidney. Maybe if you ever need a transplant you'll think twice about a persons legacy and what it has to do with the matter they're made out of.

            I wish I had mod points.

            That is the most hilarious reply I have seen for a long while.

      • The problem with things like this is that the stuff we're made of isn't who we are. Not in a metaphorical sense, but literally.
        If you look at an old photo of yourself what you see is no longer what you are made of (except your teeth, if you're an looking at an adult photo).

        Unfortunately for your argument, we are also composed of various important internal organs and structures which do not change or change very little (skeleton, brain, lungs, kidneys, heart...)

  • surely a 'titan' will get your corspe somewhere ?

  • 4 Minutes in Space (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Altima(BoB) ( 602987 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @08:36AM (#19190325)
    The article says his remains spent only 4 minutes in space (or "at the edge of space")

    It seems as though all of these high profile space-related personalities, when they have heir remains famously 'sent into space' neglect to mention the trip is always temporary.

    I wonder if there will ever be an option to send one's remains into deep space. Surely there might even be some kind of value in hurling as many human bodies as we can as far out into the abyss of the universe as is possible. The bacteria present on a full corpse could, if it landed on a hospitable planet, thrive and create a new ecosystem. Or, in the exraordinarily unlikely event that billions of year hence, one of these space coffins encountered some intelligent life, we sould have given THEM proof there was was other life in the universe.

    Of course these last two assume that bodies would be sent into space uncremated, which isn't all that practical I guess, but even cremated remains ought to be hurled out into deep space in my opinion.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by J-1000 ( 869558 )
      Yes, can someone with the knowledge explain to us why they couldn't send this into deep space? How much more costly is it to do such a thing, with such a small cargo?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Megane ( 129182 )

        Yes, can someone with the knowledge explain to us why they couldn't send this into deep space?

        So that they could sell the engraved plaque option at an extra price. I think that's in the Rules of Acquisition somewhere. Oops, wrong Star Trek series.

      • Re:4 Minutes in Space (Score:5, Informative)

        by tverbeek ( 457094 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @10:59AM (#19191029) Homepage
        The rocket was already going (for other reasons), so the trip was already paid for. Doing a special beyond-orbital shot just to send someone's ashes out there would be... well, it would equal the cost of building and launching an entire larger-than-usual rocket.

        • The rocket was already going (for other reasons), so the trip was already paid for. Doing a special beyond-orbital shot just to send someone's ashes out there would be... well, it would equal the cost of building and launching an entire larger-than-usual rocket.

          A person's cremains weigh only a few pounds, a typical satellite anywhere from half a ton upwards. Why would the rocket have to be 'larger than usual'? (Assuming there is such a thing as 'usual', which there really isn't - [commercial] rockets com

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by Harmonious Botch ( 921977 ) *
        I seem to recall from an interview with Rutan ( or one of his Spaceship One engineers? I forget ) they mentioned that the energy difference between getting to 'space' ( approx 100 miles ) and getting there with enough speed to stay in orbit differed by a factor of 30. Escape velocity of course would be more than that.
    • I believe it was also just a few grams of each person's remains.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by suv4x4 ( 956391 )
      Of course these last two assume that bodies would be sent into space uncremated, which isn't all that practical I guess, but even cremated remains ought to be hurled out into deep space in my opinion.

      It may become practical if the space elevator gets built. And there are some high profile people working hard on it.

      It may make space ceremony cheaper than the normal one.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Vexler ( 127353 )
      That was the whole point of SS Botany Bay. Watch "Space Seed", then Star Trek II.

      Except in that case they neglected to kill off Khan and his followers BEFORE sending them on their way.
      • Exactly. The point of the Botany Bay was to get rid of some criminals, not to send people's remains into space. So you're wrong in saying "That was the whole point of SS Botany Bay."

      • Re:4 Minutes in Space (Score:5, Funny)

        by Altima(BoB) ( 602987 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @09:12AM (#19190487)

        Except in that case they neglected to kill off Khan and his followers BEFORE sending them on their way.
        So are you saying his plan was to be sent off into space not quite dead, then come back and have William Shatner scream

        DOOOOOOOOHHHAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Megane ( 129182 )

          So are you saying his plan was to be sent off into space not quite dead, then come back and have Chekov scream

          Fixed it for you.

    • Of course these last two assume that bodies would be sent into space uncremated, which isn't all that practical I guess, but even cremated remains ought to be hurled out into deep space in my opinion.

      Couldn't they put uncremated bodies into a very low, unstable orbit and let them re-enter the atmosphere and burn up on their own?

      I'm assuming that a human body would burn up long before it hit the ground. I can only imagine that it would be traumatic if this didn't happen and some hillbilly in an isolated part of Kansas looked up and saw someone's flaming corpse flying towards him at 500MPH.

  • Fortunately, (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 19, 2007 @08:37AM (#19190327)
    the passengers were already dead.
  • Geez, it's always the last place you look!

  • Well, mission accomplished (Score:4, Interesting)

    by suv4x4 ( 956391 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @09:02AM (#19190433)
    That is, if mocking an actor's ashes was the mission.

    And for some reason everyone keeps calling the guy "Scotty". His name was James Doohan. The people who paid and organized this trip were apparently not the smartest people around.
    • Actually, James Doohan was fine with being called Scotty. From the Wikipedia: "Doohan was often quoted as saying, 'Scotty is ninety-nine percent James Doohan and one percent accent.'" Doohan was well-loved by Star Trek fans, and if he wasn't then no one would mention this whole thing at all -- he'd just be this supporting actor named James on a silly two-season TV show made 40 years ago. Instead, he's Scotty. And we're happy he's home and mildly amused by his journey, as he probably would've been.
    • I understand; in death, we have a name.
      His name was James Doohan.
      His name was James Doohan.
      His name was James Doohan.
    • I just don't get this. The guy was an ACTOR. It isn't like he was really into space, at least I don't think so. So what would be the point of sending his ashes into space (momentarily forgetting about the "losing them" thing). Can't former Trek actors ever get away from the role? Even in death, he's Scotty the space loving Scott drunk on scotch. So they launch the guy into space because launching a Trek actor into space gives space publicity.

      Maybe he hated space, maybe he took a stupid acting job to l

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by suv4x4 ( 956391 )
        I just don't get this. The guy was an ACTOR. It isn't like he was really into space, at least I don't think so. So what would be the point of sending his ashes into space (momentarily forgetting about the "losing them" thing).

        You know, animals have evolved reasoning adaptively. It's not before primates, that sound logic (with plenty of biases ad flaws still) has evolved into our brains, but we're still susceptible to the ancient ancestor of sound logic: emotions.

        Emotions actually is a crude mechanism found
  • This whole debacle really needs to live forever in the form of a Star Trek episode somehow.

  • Ye canna change the laws o'physics, Cap'n! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Spyrus ( 633357 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @09:59AM (#19190705)
    What goes up, must come down.

  • Obligatory... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 19, 2007 @10:49AM (#19190963)
    He's dead, Jim.

    (I can't believe it hasn't been posted yet...)

  • Genesis Device (Score:3, Funny)

    by Esion Modnar ( 632431 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @10:58AM (#19191021)
    Never one around when you need it most.
  • Scotty's ashes were found at Mare Tranquilitatis, New Mexico.
  • How typical! When that pointy-eared Spock was lost on a planet, we got to sit through a whole movie while they tried to find him. But nooooo such luck for the probably best engineer of the galaxy.

    Serves them right next time their dilithium crytals are melting.

  • Not New Mexico... (Score:3, Funny)

    by calctech ( 414259 ) on Saturday May 19, 2007 @11:59AM (#19191405) Journal
    Scotty was found preserved in a transporter buffer.

  • I need more power Scotty! (Score:3, Funny)

    by pashdown ( 124942 ) <pashdown@xmission.com> on Saturday May 19, 2007 @01:45PM (#19192239) Homepage
    Maybe next time he'll listen.
  • When my father-in-law died we actually looked into Celestis for a space launch. At the time, they were offering several options. Since they basically rent space in whatever launches are going up, it really depends on who is going where and if they can hitch a ride. At that time there was a possibility of a moon landing with some unmanned mission and even a possibility of hitching on one of the Mars exploration missions. Most launches now are satellite orbital or sub orbital so that is the easiest and cheape
  • So do you think that all those children's letters to God were incinerated while entering the Earth's atmosphere, or what?
    • It was his spamfilter...


      The guy is supposedly alknowing, so why do you have to bug him with a rocket filled with letters? He already knew what you were going to write before you wrote the letter, even before you were born. Didn't you read the part you must have blind faith? If he isn't replying, he's tired of your nagging and is trying to ignore you. Leave him alone.

      For that alone, it's justified to be sent to hell for spamming god with egocentric and useless requests.

  • They didn't do a very good job cremating the body.
  • It sounds like the away team mission was a success!
  • ... The Search for Scotty.

    A leaked script claims Kirk's final words of the film are:

    "... Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... scottish."

    Cue rousing bag pipes and last orders at the bar.
  • Yes folks, step right up and get your own personal piece of StarTrek memorabilia - the ashes of James Doohan, sealed into a glass relica of the starship Enterprise NCC1701, suitable for framing, or Christmas tree ornamentation. Due to technical difficulties, your personal piece of "Scotty" may contain (at no extra charge) ashes from the remains of 400 other people, plus bits of pine-cones, dirt, and a family of squirrels. Be the first on your blogspace to latch onto this limited edition decorative keepsak
  • Looks like they put the bag on Scotty...
  • James Doohan in his way did a fuck-of-a-lot for the space industry. How much would it cost NASA to put him into space? Absolutely peanuts in relation to the rest of the fucking waste on those programs. And they'd get a fuck load of PUBLICITY into the bargain. Fair burns my dilithium tubes to see Doohan treated in this way.

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