stroober
15-08-2005, 10:25
Saw this in the TImes
Aberdeen to boldly build a space park for Scotty
Marc Horne
ABERDEEN is to establish a “space park” as a memorial to Scotty, the fictional first engineer of the Starship Enterprise.
While it may be best known for fishing and the oil industry, the city intends to put itself on the Trekkie tourist map following confirmation that it is the official birthplace of the Star Trek character.
John Reynolds, Aberdeen’s lord provost, is writing to Nasa, the American space agency and the government of Kazakhstan, the home of the Russian space programme, to ask for a used rocket to form the centrepiece of the memorial.
The move follows attempts by Edinburgh, Elgin and Linlithgow to claim Montgomery “Scotty” Scott — played by the late Canadian actor James Doohan — as their own.
The dispute was finally settled in The Sunday Times last week when Richard Arnold, the Star Trek archivist, historian and former adviser to Gene Roddenberry, the series’s creator, confirmed Scotty’s provenance.
Originally it was suggested that a plaque or statue could be erected in order to celebrate Aberdeen’s link to the cantankerous chief engineer, who is not due to be born until 2222.
However, Reynolds, a fan of the 1960s science fiction series, has an altogether grander memorial in mind. “Whisky and tartan aside, Aberdeen has never had a major attraction and we would really love to have something that would bring in people from all over the world,” he said. “The fact that Scotty has been confirmed as an Aberdonian gives us a fantastic opportunity that the city can capitalise on. Our council has very good working relationships with Nasa and the authorities of Kazakhstan where they launch and land the Russian space missions.
“Because of this I am hoping they could donate a space craft to Aberdeen and we can set-up a permanent or semi-permanent display on space itself and link it to the character of Scotty coming from the city.
Reynolds believes land next to the city’s futuristic exhibition and conference centre would be ideal for establishing an outdoor “space park”.
In recent years Aberdeen city council has hosted a delegation from Nasa and has signed several trading agreements with Kazakhstan, which is also a major international oil centre.
Rustam Tazhenov, the Kazakh consul in Aberdeen, said he hoped his government could provide the centrepiece for the memorial.
The country’s Baikonur cosmodrome was the hub of the Soviet space programme in the cold war era.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian government rents the facility, which is still in regular use, for more than £60m a year.
“The lord provost’s suggestion is a wonderful one,” said Tazhenov. “All things which further develop the strong relationship that exists between our two countries should be encouraged.”
Debra Rahn, of Nasa, said Aberdeen’s request would be taken seriously. She added that there was a precedent for American space-craft going on display abroad.
Sir Patrick Moore, the astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night, also expressed his support for the plan.
“It’s a marvellous idea. It’s quite harmless and great fun. I’m sure it would prove to be popular if it happened.”
Aberdeen to boldly build a space park for Scotty
Marc Horne
ABERDEEN is to establish a “space park” as a memorial to Scotty, the fictional first engineer of the Starship Enterprise.
While it may be best known for fishing and the oil industry, the city intends to put itself on the Trekkie tourist map following confirmation that it is the official birthplace of the Star Trek character.
John Reynolds, Aberdeen’s lord provost, is writing to Nasa, the American space agency and the government of Kazakhstan, the home of the Russian space programme, to ask for a used rocket to form the centrepiece of the memorial.
The move follows attempts by Edinburgh, Elgin and Linlithgow to claim Montgomery “Scotty” Scott — played by the late Canadian actor James Doohan — as their own.
The dispute was finally settled in The Sunday Times last week when Richard Arnold, the Star Trek archivist, historian and former adviser to Gene Roddenberry, the series’s creator, confirmed Scotty’s provenance.
Originally it was suggested that a plaque or statue could be erected in order to celebrate Aberdeen’s link to the cantankerous chief engineer, who is not due to be born until 2222.
However, Reynolds, a fan of the 1960s science fiction series, has an altogether grander memorial in mind. “Whisky and tartan aside, Aberdeen has never had a major attraction and we would really love to have something that would bring in people from all over the world,” he said. “The fact that Scotty has been confirmed as an Aberdonian gives us a fantastic opportunity that the city can capitalise on. Our council has very good working relationships with Nasa and the authorities of Kazakhstan where they launch and land the Russian space missions.
“Because of this I am hoping they could donate a space craft to Aberdeen and we can set-up a permanent or semi-permanent display on space itself and link it to the character of Scotty coming from the city.
Reynolds believes land next to the city’s futuristic exhibition and conference centre would be ideal for establishing an outdoor “space park”.
In recent years Aberdeen city council has hosted a delegation from Nasa and has signed several trading agreements with Kazakhstan, which is also a major international oil centre.
Rustam Tazhenov, the Kazakh consul in Aberdeen, said he hoped his government could provide the centrepiece for the memorial.
The country’s Baikonur cosmodrome was the hub of the Soviet space programme in the cold war era.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian government rents the facility, which is still in regular use, for more than £60m a year.
“The lord provost’s suggestion is a wonderful one,” said Tazhenov. “All things which further develop the strong relationship that exists between our two countries should be encouraged.”
Debra Rahn, of Nasa, said Aberdeen’s request would be taken seriously. She added that there was a precedent for American space-craft going on display abroad.
Sir Patrick Moore, the astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night, also expressed his support for the plan.
“It’s a marvellous idea. It’s quite harmless and great fun. I’m sure it would prove to be popular if it happened.”