LOS ANGELES (AP) - Leonard Nimoy didn't just leave a lasting impression on the science-fiction genre, he also did so on science itself.
After news spread of the 83-year-old actor's passing Friday, remembrances poured in from beyond the entertainment spectrum, sent by the likes of NASA, Virgin Galactic, Intel, Google and other organizations motivated by Nimoy and his "Star Trek" role as truth-seeking science officer Spock.
"Farewell, Leonard Nimoy," tweeted the technology company Intel. "You inspired us to always keep reaching for the final frontier."
NASA said "so many of us at NASA were inspired by 'Star Trek'" and sent out a photo taken in 1976 of Nimoy and his "Trek" cast mates in front of NASA's space shuttle Enterprise, parked outside the agency's manufacturing facilities in Palmdale, California.
Samantha Cristoforetti, an Italian astronaut aboard the International Space Station, similarly tweeted her condolences from space.
"Live Long and Prosper, Mr. #Spock!" she wrote.
Nimoy's commitment to astronomy warped from beyond the starship Enterprise and into the real world. He and his wife, Susan, donated $1 million to the renovation of the iconic Griffith Park observatory complex overlooking Los Angeles. The observatory's theater is named after Nimoy.
The actor, director and photographer also narrated several films about astronomy, including a 2012 short film about NASA's Dawn mission and the 1994 IMAX documentary film "Destiny in Space," as well as such video games as "Civilization IV" and "Seamen."
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.