Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin earlier today launched its New Shepard rocket into space. Onboard was “Star Trek” actor William Shatner. In the 90 years old, the “Star Trek” actor becomes the oldest person in history to ever fly to space. According to live stream, Blue Origin made history as her rocket reached an altitude of roughly 350,000ft and a velocity of about 2,000mph.
According to CBS News, Blue Origin’s 18th New Shepard flight began a few minutes behind schedule when the BE-3 engine powering the company’s 53-foot-tall booster ignited with a roar, throttled up to 110,000 pounds of thrust, and lifted off from Launch Site. Climbing straight up, the booster quickly accelerated as it consumed propellant and lost weight, reaching a velocity of about 2,200 mph and an altitude of some 170,000 feet before the engine shutdown. The New Shepard capsule then separated from the booster at an altitude of about 45 miles and both continued climbing upward on ballistic trajectories, rapidly slowing.
The flight was initially planned for Tuesday but was rescheduled due to bad weather witnessed at the Texas launch site. Onboard to space was Blue Origin Vice President of mission and flight operations -Audrey Powers, former NASA engineer and co-founder of Planet Labs Chris Boshuizen, and Medidata CEO Glen de Vries. The rocket lifted off taking its passengers 62 miles above Earth’s surface. It was reported the rocket passed the Kármán line, this line is said to be a sort of boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. Shatner and the rest of the crew on flight experienced few minutes before the capsule fell back to Earth in a parachute 10mints later.
Earlier in July, Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, aviator Wally Funk and Oliver Daeman all witnessed Blue Origin’s first space expedition which lasted about 11-minute. Oliver Daeman was recorded as the youngest person ever to go to space in that flight. Although Wally Funk at 82 years old previously held the record for the oldest person to go to space, 90-year-old William Shatner, claimed the title this time. Let’s just say Blue Origin has a thing or two for setting records in affairs of space.
Actor William Shatner of “Star Trek,” is known to have played the character Captain James T. Kirk over 55 years ago, and as promised he tweet from space. With the capsule safely strapped down and stairs in place, he appeared like one who felt emotional when he got out of the capsule. William Shatner tries to explain what the experience was like to Jeff Bezos but the billionaire interrupts him to call over a champagne bottle and pop it. “Everyone on Earth needs to see this,” William Shatner says. “It’s unbelievable… I hope I never recover from this. I hope I maintain what I feel now. It’s so much larger than me and life.” Billionaire Jeff Bezos was one of those who welcome the crew of the New Shepard NS-18. “Welcome to Earth,” the billionaire screams through the hatch. The race to reach space continues, enthusiasts as well are on the lookout for new trends for commercial space flights.
Olagoke Ajibola is a creative writer and content producer with an eye for details and excellence. He has a demonstrated history of telling stories for TV, Film and Online. Aside from being fascinated by the power of imagination, his other interest are travel, sport, reading and meeting people.
