Trailblazing Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols dies at 89

American actress Nichelle Nichols, best known for her role in 1960s sci-fi TV series Star Trek, has died aged 89.
Ms Nichols broke barriers in her role as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the series, becoming one of the first black actresses in the US to play a figure in authority.
She was later employed by Nasa in an effort to encourage more women and African-Americans to become astronauts.