Where's Scotty?

Whoops. Seems there is a slight problem in the aftermath of the successful April 29 launch of UP Aerospace's SpaceLoft XL from New Mexico's Spaceport America. Nearly two weeks have passed, and no one has been able to find the rocket.

That means the cremains of actor James Doohan -- "Scotty" from the original "Star Trek" telvision series -- and Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper, along with 198 other individuals, are also missing, at least for the moment. (Editor's Note: Initial reports on launch day, carried by Aero-News, indicated the rocket was recovered shortly after it returned from its brief trip 72 miles above the Earth. Apparently, not so much. ANN regrets the error.)

So, why the missing rocket? Susan Schonfeld, spokeswoman for Space Services Inc -- the company that organized the "memorial spaceflight" -- says the rocket descended by parachute into a particularly rugged portion of New Mexico terrain. Also, recent "horrendous" weather in the Land of Enchantment hasn't helped matters.

UP Aerospace president Jerry Larson told Fox News search crews know the approximate location of the rocket, within a roughly 1,300-foot radius, thanks to telemetry data provided by nearby White Sands Missile Range.

Problem is, the search area includes the side of a mountain.

"The terrain is very mountainous; it's not somewhere that you can walk or drive to. My understanding is that it will take some time to get up into there," Schonfeld told Reuters by telephone. "They know the general location, and we have the utmost confidence that they will recover it."

Also flown into space onboard the SL-2 Mission were dozens of student experiments -- from elementary schools to high schools to universities, from across America and worldwide, according to UP Aerospace. Those experiments are also missing.

Coincidentally, search crews also had difficulties recovering UP Aerospace's first SpaceLoft XL, following the company's initial launch attempt last year. That mission ended prematurely, as the rocket fell back to earth roughly 10 seconds after launch. Unusually lush vegetation, combined with the rugged terrain, hampered search efforts for five days.

FMI: www.upaerospace.com