Star Trek's William Shatner goes into space on board Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin capsule

Virgin Radio

14 Oct 2021, 09:52

The legendary TV star has become the world's oldest astronaut at 90, joining the Amazon billionaire on the historic brain-frying flight, 66.5 miles above the Earth's atmosphere.

The James Kirk actor uttered the words "Oh Jesus" as he experienced space for the first time as part of a four-person crew on the Blue Origin mission, otherwise known as NS-18.

Before the epic trip, Shatner admitted: "I’ll be very happy when we go up, and we’ll be in weightlessness, and we know we’re safe because everything else should be alright.

"And we have that moment of inspiration which I feel will be there when we’re looking into the vastness of the universe."

Bezos welcomed the passengers back down to the ground and said: "Hello, astronauts. Welcome to Earth!"

An awestruck Shatner gushed: “I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle.

"What you have given me is the most profound experience. I hope I never recover from this. I hope that I can maintain what I feel now. I don't want to lose it.

"In an instant, you go, 'Whoa, that's death'. That's what I saw."

He continued: "The little things, weightlessness, but to see the blue colour whip by. And now you’re staring at the blackness. That’s the thing, the covering of blue… this comforter of blue we have around us.

"Then the sudden you shoot through it all, you whip off the sheet and you’re looking at the black ugliness.

"There is Mother Earth, comfort, and there is, is that death? I don't know? Is that the way death is?

"Whip and it’s gone!"

He went on: "This experience is something unbelievable.

"My stomach went up, this is so weird. But not as weird, as the covering of blue."

The teary actor continued: "I’m so filled with emotion, it’s extraordinary.

"I hope I never recover from this.

"Maintain what I feel now, I never want to lose it. It’s so much larger than me and life."

Room for a few more up there, Bezos? Hello...