Late Star Trek star James Doohan's remains will be blasted into space later this month, the firm arranging the flight has confirmed.

Doohan played Scotty in the legendary TV show and its spin-off movies, and inspired the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty." He died aged 85 in 2005.

Now Houston, Texas-based company Space Services has announced that some of Doohan's remains have been placed in a rocket in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Lift-off is scheduled for 28 April, following a two year delay during which time the flight was postponed by tests and a misfire during a practice take-off in 2006.

Following a brief flight, Doohan's remains will parachute back down to Earth in a capsule. Space Services also launched the remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry into orbit in 1997.