Blue Origin preps flight with William Shatner

 

More than 50 years after he debuted as the beloved Capt. James T. Kirk in the original series of "Star Trek," William Shatner is set to boldly go to the edge of space.

The 90-year-old actor is scheduled to launch Wednesday aboard a rocket and capsule developed by Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. If successful, the joyride will make Shatner the oldest person to reach space.

“I’ve heard about space for a long time now," he said in a statement released earlier this month. "I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle."

Shatner and three other crew members  Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s vice president of mission and flight operations, and two paying customers, Glen de Vries and Chris Boshuizen will ride Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket and capsule to the edge of space. Liftoff is scheduled to occur at 10 a.m. ET and the flight is expected to last roughly 10 minutes.

Source nbcnews