New Shepard - NS-18 Crewed - 13 October 2021

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1441429119904874505

According to TMZ, Captain Kirk will be on the second flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule. The flight is likely to happen next month.

https://www.tmz.com/2021/09/24/william-shatner-going-space-jeff-bezos-blue-origin/

[Steve G]

He's ninety. Can he even make it up all those stairs to the capsule? I guess he has nothing to lose.

[dougkeenan]

The fault in not in our stairs but in ourselves.

[hektor]

No Nichelle Nichols ?

[niwax]

Does anyone else have the feeling their main revenue stream appears to be fron their marketing budget to their operations? It'll be a long grind breaking even giving away half the seats.

[MattMason]

No Nichelle Nichols ?

Ms. Nichols has dementia-related health issues. The two other members of the original surviving cast are Walter Koenig and George Takei.

[hektor]

Sorry to read that.

[hektor]

Could he fly in character, with a crew wearing a Starfleet uniform ?

[MattMason]

Could he fly in character, it a crew wearing a Starfleet uniform ?

I'm likely straying off-topic here.
But historically the cast members have enjoyed the use of costumes during convention or public appearances. In 1986 I saw George Takei in a Star Trek II-era costume. It could be a gray area, but likely Shatner could. A court case of using the likeness  (mask) of "The Lone Ranger" with classic TV actor Clayton Moore resulted in a win in his favor. But--Blue Origin may require people to wear outfits to comply with safety requirements in flight.

[hektor]

I could settle for a mission patch having the shape of a Starfleet insignia...

[jstrotha0975]

Yes, I'm finally going to get William Shatner singing Rocket Man in space.

[Steve G]

Have you heard Shatner's version of Hawkwind's Silver Machine? Hopefully, you haven't.

[Steve G]

This won't be great publicity when someone who is not fit for spaceflight and has a medical emergency or dies during flight.

[Eric Hedman]

This won't be great publicity when someone who is not fit for spaceflight and has a medical emergency or dies during flight.

Aren't you a ray of sunshine.

[Zed_Noir]

Do we know who are flying up with Shatner in NS-18?

[matthewkantar]

This won't be great publicity when someone who is not fit for spaceflight and has a medical emergency or dies during flight.

At 90, it'd be a hell of a way to go/cement one's legacy. Not that he is planning on checking out, the system seems quite safe.

Edit: Also, he'd be the first actor in SPAAAAAACE, beating out Tom Cruise. I'd love to see it.

[SweetWater]

No Nichelle Nichols ?

Ms. Nichols has dementia-related health issues. The two other members of the original surviving cast are Walter Koenig and George Takei.

Given both Koenig and Takei's well-publicized feelings towards Shatner, I think even if the opportunity presented itself they would probably pass.

[Yggdrasill]

This won't be great publicity when someone who is not fit for spaceflight and has a medical emergency or dies during flight.

The chance of dying in an explosion on the pad is probably much higher than dying of a medical emergency during flight. It's a very short flight, and not *that* stressful.

[Yggdrasill]

Edit: Also, he'd be the first actor in SPAAAAAACE, beating out Tom Cruise. I'd love to see it.

Probably not. https://www.space.com/russian-film-crew-medically-fit-spaceflight

[meekGee]

Besides, going by BO's and VG's definitions, if the medical emergency occurs below 100  km then it's not "in space", and given their rather limited dwell time, the odds are pretty good he'll miss that window of glory.

Too snarky?