Jeff Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin has sent its first crew into space in nearly two years after a failed and uncrewed test flight in 2022 temporarily grounded passenger flights.
The New Shepard rocket successfully completed its 25th mission to space on Sunday. The 10-minute flight also marked the seventh time the company has transported tourists to space.
There were six crew members aboard Sunday’s mission — including Ed Dwight, a former Air Force captain who was selected in 1961 by President Kennedy as the first black astronaut candidate for NASA’s first astronaut corps. Dwight ended up not being chosen for the class of 1963, which included Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. NASA didn’t select black astronauts until 1978, and Guion Bluford became the first African-American in space in 1983, the Associated Press reported (AP).
Dwight, now 90, also made history as the oldest person in space. He is almost two months older than “Star Trek” actor William Shatner was in 2021 when he boarded a passenger flight.
After returning from the short trip to space, Dwight called it a “life-changing experience.”
“It was absolutely fantastic. I thought I didn’t really need it in my life, but now I need it in my life. I’m ecstatic. It was a life-changing experience. Everyone needs to do this,” Dwight said shortly after emerging from the capsule on Sunday.
The other five passengers — Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller and Gopi Thotakura — included four businessmen from the U.S. and France and a retired accountant, the AP reported. Ticket prices have not been disclosed.
Dwight is a sculptor from Denver. His ticket was sponsored in part by the nonprofit Space for Humanity.
The Associated Press contributed.
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