( CNN ) -- In the end , it was Scotty who got beamed up . The ashes of late actor James Doohan , who played chief engineer Montgomery Scott in the original `` Star Trek '' television series and a series of subsequent films , were on the SpaceX rocket that launched a private spacecraft into orbit this week . Doohan 's character was referenced in the `` Beam me up , Scotty '' catchphrase associated with `` Star Trek . '' In various versions of the command , Capt . James T. Kirk , played by William Shatner , would ask his Scottish-descended colleague to activate a matter teleportation device that would transport Kirk or others to the starship Enterprise . While it is unclear if the exact phrase `` Beam me up , Scotty '' ever was uttered in a `` Star Trek '' episode , it became a popular bumper sticker and Doohan chose it for the title of his autobiography published in 1996 . He died in 2005 . Celestis , a company that provides memorial spaceflights , confirmed that some of Doohan 's cremated remains were among 320 sets on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Tuesday . Stellar week for SpaceX founder Elon Musk . In addition , a portion of the cremated remains of Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper also were on board , the company confirmed . The Falcon 9 rocket , which carried up the SpaceX Dragon craft for a possible rendezvous this week with the International Space Station , is expected to remain in orbit for months until burning up when it falls back into the Earth 's atmosphere . `` He would rather have flown when he was alive , of course , '' said Doohan 's widow , Wende Doohan , who watched the SpaceX launch Tuesday with the couple 's 12-year-old daugher , one of three children from a 31-year marriage . Doohan always told her he wanted his ashes flown in space , she said Thursday , adding that the contract with Celestis was not signed until after Doohan died . `` He was this enormous fan of technology , future technology , space exploration , NASA and anything with mankind reaching out , '' Doohan said . Doohan and Cooper 's ashes also were launched in 2007 , but that flight failed to make it into space . My friend 's ashes ride into space . Charles Chafer , the CEO of Celestis , said Thursday the remains aboard the Falcon 9 rocket came from 18 countries and included many people linked to the space industry , such as workers on the Apollo program . According to Chafer , another celebrity whose remains were included was Randy VanWarmer , who wrote the song `` Just When I Needed You Most . '' VanWarmer died of leukemia in 2004 , Chafer said . A common theme among those on board was their interest in traveling in space when alive , Chafer said , adding `` but there 's also a bunch of folks sort of new age ; they wanted to be part of the universe . '' In Doohan 's case , timing led his acting career to the stars instead of the depths of the ocean , according to his widow . He read for parts on both `` Star Trek '' and `` Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , '' and got a call back first from `` Star Trek '' producer Gene Roddenberry , she noted . `` No one would know him today if he 'd gotten the other call first , '' she said .
James Doohan played Scotty in the original `` Star Trek '' television series . His ashes are among those of 320 people in orbit on a rocket . The rocket eventually will burn up when it falls back into Earth 's atmosphere . Some of Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper 's ashes also are on board .