William Shatner may not be an actual captain in space, but he’s about to change half of that fact. The “Star Trek” actor is set to board Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard rocket and head to space later this month.
Blue Origin announced the news on Monday, revealing that, at 90 years old, Shatner will become the oldest person ever to go to space. And of course, it’s a full-circle moment for Shatner, who originated the role of Captain James T. Kirk in the original “Star Trek” series in 1966.
“I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” Shatner said in a statement.
On Twitter, the actor was a bit less formal, unabashedly sharing his excitement. “Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a ‘rocket man!’” the actor wrote, alongside a few excited emojis.
Shatner will be part of the next mission alongside Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s vice president of Mission & Flight Operations. Crew members Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries will also be on board the shuttle, which is set to lift off from Launch Site One in West Texas next week.
“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.”
Fans will be able to watch the launch as it happens, with coverage beginning 90 minutes prior to liftoff. The expedition is currently targeted for 10:30 am PT on Oct. 12.