Space tourism company Blue Origin will be launching a short flight to space and back featuring a very special crew member: Actor William Shatner, aka Star Trek’s Captain Kirk. The launch will be streamed on Wednesday, October 13, and you can watch along live at home.
How to watch the launch
The launch is scheduled for 9:30 a.m ET (6:30 a.m PT) on Wednesday, October 13. Blue Origin will be streaming the launch, with coverage beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET (5:00 a.m. PT).
To watch the launch live, you can head to Blue Origin’s website or go straight to the Blue Origin YouTube channel.
And if you miss following along with the launch as it happens, then no worries — you can catch up and watch the launch later, as the recorded video will be posted on YouTube.
What to expect from the launch
Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft will be launched from Launch Site One in West Texas in a mission dubbed NS-18. The launch had originally been scheduled for Tuesday, October 12 but was pushed back by one day due to forecasted winds in West Texas.
The crew for the NS-18 mission will include Star Trek actor William Shatner, as well as Blue Origin team member Audrey Powers, Planet Labs’ Dr. Chris Boshuizen, and Medidata co-founder Glen de Vries.
In a chat posted on Twitter this week, Shatner said he’s looking forward to admiring the view from the ship. “I plan to be looking out the window with my nose pressed against the window,” he said, adding in a nod to The Twilight Zone, “The only thing I don’t want to see is a little gremlin looking back at me!”
Thank you @AudreyKPowers and @WilliamShatner for chatting with Team Blue and taking our questions. Catch a glimpse of the conversation and learn what they are planning to do in space: pic.twitter.com/nxmYaNab5K
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) October 8, 2021
This flight follows the July Blue Origin flight which included founder Jeff Bezos. Since then, the company has been dealing with accusations from current and former employees that it fosters a sexist culture and that it prioritizes speed over development over safety — a characterization that company spokespeople have disputed. It has also been engaged in a legal battle with NASA over NASA’s decision to award its lunar lander contrast to the company’s competitor, SpaceX.
These issues aside, many people are excited about the launch and about the inclusion of William Shatner in the crew in particular, thanks to his status as a sci-fi icon.
