The ashes for former Star Trek star James Doohan have gone missing after a rocket set to blast them into space malfunctioned on Saturday.

Before he died in 2005, the actor - who played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the sci-fi series - asked for his remains to be sent into orbit.

A portion was loaded aboard a craft named SpaceX Falcon 1, along with the ashes of 207 others.

But the craft - also carrying two small government satellites - went missing on its way into orbit, just two minutes after taking off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

Doohan's son Elrich Blackhound claims Saturday's attempt was the latest in a series of failed launches, each of which "is like reliving his (Doohan's) funeral."

Blackhound says, "(This has) turned into this very strange, drawn-out ordeal. I think only Lenin's funeral lasted longer."

Doohan's widow, Wende, adds, "In the old Star Trek episodes there was always a problem. So you go and fix the problem, and the next time you're successful."

The launch company has vowed to keep attempting to send the ashes into space.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)