Science fiction will soon become reality, as William Shatner is scheduled to launch on the next crewed spaceflight of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
The company plans to fly the Canadian actor, who famously played Capt. Kirk in the original “Star Trek” television series, as one of the passengers on the company’s New Shepard rocket.
The launch is planned for Oct. 12. Blue Origin’s vice president of mission and flight operations, Audrey Powers, is joining the flight, with the crew of four rounded out by previously announced members Planet Labs co-founder Chris Boshuizen and Medidata co-founder Glen de Vries.
Blue Origin will host a live webcast of the mission, called NS-18, with coverage set to begin at 8 a.m. ET on Oct. 12.
My son wants to watch all of the Star Trek series (in order and his first time) and will be doing The Original Series over the Holidays. Oddly looking forward to it! Always got a kick out of Shatner's overdramatic acting style.
I thought that this was to be a suborbital flight. Does Blue orbital currently have orbital capability? The only current orbital flight capacity that I remember is Space X (not counting China and Russia).
I thought that this was to be a suborbital flight. Does Blue orbital currently have orbital capability? The only current orbital flight capacity that I remember is Space X (not counting China and Russia).
Nelson
Yes, it was sub orbital. Went up this morning and just returned. All went 'nominal' but I wish the Bezos bunch would stop referring to the passengers as astronauts.
Yes, it was sub orbital. Went up this morning and just returned. All went 'nominal' but I wish the Bezos bunch would stop referring to the passengers as astronauts.
It's nice that he went up, but the whole scene after they landed was kinda cringy. You couldn't hear Shatner at first due to those two somen laughing and screaming, then Bezos walked away (to get champagne) as Shatner was in the middle of speaking, thatw as kinda awkward... there were a lot of hugs and proud moments, but it kinda felt like it was an amusement park ride...
But it was a nice little distraction from "the rest of the stuff"...
It's nice that he went up, but the whole scene after they landed was kinda cringy. You couldn't hear Shatner at first due to those two somen laughing and screaming, then Bezos walked away (to get champagne) as Shatner was in the middle of speaking, thatw as kinda awkward... there were a lot of hugs and proud moments, but it kinda felt like it was an amusement park ride...
But it was a nice little distraction from "the rest of the stuff"...
The post flight scenario after bezos and the other 3 went up was the same way. Yesterday with the post flight interview wqith Shatner looked more like a PR stunt than anything else, and once Bezos had what he wanted, he abruptly split.
Heh, a few days before the "amusement ride" Shatner was asked what he would do up "there". He responded "look out the window at the vastness of space and down on the fragility of Earth". Is he a Trekie or a Greenie ?
A shot when they were at high altitude shows everyone floating in weightlessness, except Shatner. Why ?
Back on Earth he claimed that was the most profound experience of his life. Duhh. I felt the same way when I rode my first roller coaster.
Heh, a few days before the "amusement ride" Shatner was asked what he would do up "there". He responded "look out the window at the vastness of space and down on the fragility of Earth".
The other occupant Thomas Fischer (also killed) was the owner of the aviation company and was the flight instructor that taught Devries to pilot small aircraft.
