ANOTHER SPACE VENTURE TAKES OFF:

The cremated remains of Star Trek actor James Doohan and Apollo 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper soared into suborbital space today aboard a rocket launched in the New Mexico desert.

The launch was the first success at a commercial spaceport being developed in the southern part of the state.

The rocket was fired by Suzan Cooper and Wende Doohan, who sent the missile carrying small amounts of their husbands’ ashes into the sky at 8:56 a.m.

The rocket soon plummeted back to Earth as planned at the White Sands Missile Range.

About 200 other families paid $495 each to have their loved ones’ ashes sent into space aboard the Spaceloft X-L rocket.

Bill Richardson deserves a spot of credit, too, as he’s been good about pushing the New Mexico spaceport.

UPDATE: More here.