Star Trek's Captain Kirk rocketing into space next week
Star Trek's Captain Kirk is rocketing into space this month — boldly going where no other sci-fi actors have gone.
Jeff Bezos' space travel company, Blue Origin, announced Monday that William Shatner will blast off from West Texas on October 12.
At age 90, Shatner will become the oldest person in space. He'll join three others — two of them paying customers — aboard a Blue Origin capsule.
READ MORE: Jeff Bezos blasts into space on his own rocket
Actor William Shatner takes questions from reporters after delivering the commencement address at New England Institute of Technology graduation ceremonies. AP
In this 1988 file photo, William Shatner, who portrays Captain James T. Kirk, attends a photo opportunity for the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. AP
It will be the company's second launch with a crew.
Bezos was on the debut flight in July, along with his brother and the youngest and oldest to fly in space.
Shatner will break that upper threshold by six years.
"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.
Also flying with Shatner: a former NASA engineer who founded a nanosatellite company; the co-founder of a software company specialising in clinical research; and a Blue Origin employee.
The up-and-down space hop will last 10 minutes and reach no higher than about 106km.
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