Star Trek’s William Shatner will join Blue Origin’s manned space launch next week.
On Monday, the company announced Shatner and Audrey Powers, vice president of the New Shepard mission and flight operations at Blue Origin, as its remaining two crew members for its NS-18 launch. The two will be joining Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries for the October 12 flight.
The 90-year-old actor will become the oldest person to go to space, taking the title from 82-year-old Wally Funk, who set the record on Blue Origin’s previous flight in July of this year.
So now I can say something. Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a “rocket man!” ?? https://t.co/B2jFeXrr6L
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) October 4, 2021
“I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” Shatner, best known for his role as Captain Kirk in the “Star Trek” franchise, said in a statement Monday.
Powers has worked as an engineer and a lawyer and she has prior experience in the space industry through her tenure as a flight controller for NASA. She also serves as the chair of the Board of Directors of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
“I’m so proud and humbled to fly on behalf of Team Blue, and I’m excited to continue writing Blue’s human spaceflight history,” Powers said in a statement. “I was part of the amazing effort we assembled for New Shepard’s Human Flight Certification Review, a years-long initiative completed in July 2021. As an engineer and lawyer with more than two decades of experience in the aerospace industry, I have great confidence in our New Shepard team and the vehicle we’ve developed.”
NS-18′s liftoff is scheduled for 9:30 am EDT. Live coverage will begin at T-90 minutes, broadcasting from Launch Site One in west Texas.
Two incredible and inspirational people will join the #NS18 crew. Actor @WilliamShatner and Blue Origin’s Vice President of Mission & Flight Operations Audrey Powers @AudreyKPowers. pic.twitter.com/xqI9nw1KX8
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) October 4, 2021
