'So Filled With Emotion': 90-Year-Old William Shatner Launches Into Space Aboard Blue Origin Rocket
VAN HORN, Texas (CBSLA) – William Shatner boldly went where no "Star Trek" actor has gone before when he launched into space Wednesday morning with an all-civilian crew aboard a Blue Origin rocket.
The 90-year-old Shatner became the oldest person ever to go into space. He was emotional as he spoke to Blue Origin and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos about the ride.
"What you have given me is the most profound experience I can imagine. I'm so filled with emotion about what just happened," Shatner said. "It's extraordinary. Extraordinary."
The launch took place at 7:50 a.m. Pacific time from the Blue Origin spaceport near Van Horn in West Texas. It had initially been set for 7 a.m.
The New Shepard rocket was originally scheduled to launch on Tuesday, but was delayed due to high winds.
Shatner was joined by three others on his trip: Audrey Powers, Blue Origin's vice president of Mission and Flight Operations, former NASA engineer Chris Boshuizen and healthcare entrepreneur Glen de Vries.
The group traveled in the New Shepard to an altitude of 62 miles, where they spent three to four minutes of weightlessness before safely descending back to earth.
This just the second flight with humans by Blue Origin, the space travel company founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. On July 20, Bezos himself blasted off with his brother and two others for a 10-minute trip into space.
"I also think it's important to remember that Jeff Bezos concept in doing all this is to build industry, homes, to live in close connection to Earth," Shatner told 'CBS Mornings' Gayle King Monday.
However, the launch comes amid new scrutiny of an alleged toxic and unsafe work culture at Blue Origin. Former employees claim the company sacrificed safety, because Bezos wanted to win the space race. The Federal Aviation Administration says it is reviewing the allegations.