ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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"To boldly go where no man (this old) has gone before!"
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William Shatner is going to space next week (for real)




caption: More than 50 years after the Star Trek franchise took TV audiences to alien worlds, William Shatner will visit space aboard a Blue Origin spacecraft. Shatner, right, is seen here with castmates Nichelle Nichols and Leonard Nimoy in a 1967 episode of the show.

by Bill Chappell

Captain James T. Kirk is blasting off into the final frontier. In the latest sign of the strange new world we inhabit, the actor William Shatner will join the crew of Blue Origin's New Shepard on a spaceflight that's slated to launch on Oct. 12.

"Yes, it's true," Shatner said on Twitter. "I'm going to be a 'rocket man!' "

At 90 years old, Shatner is more than twice the average age of NASA's astronauts. The Canadian actor, singer and writer "will become the oldest person to have flown to space," Blue Origin said as it announced his upcoming trip into space.

The flight is scheduled to lift off from a launch pad in Texas next Tuesday morning. Blue Origin sent its first human flight into space in July, with billionaire founder Jeff Bezos and others aboard.

Shatner will be part of a four-person crew that includes Planet Labs co-founder Chris Boshuizen and Medidata co-founder Glen de Vries — whom Blue Origin refers to as both customers and astronauts, reflecting the new era of privatized space travel.

The final member of the crew will be Blue Origin executive Audrey Powers, a former NASA flight controller and engineer who oversees the New Shepard program's flight operations.

"I'm so proud and humbled to fly on behalf of Team Blue," Powers said in a news release about the voyage.

Shatner will be visiting space more than 50 years after he first took TV audiences to alien worlds as the fictional captain of the USS Enterprise on Star Trek.

"I've heard about space for a long time now. I'm taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle," Shatner said.

After the news broke on Monday, Shatner spent the morning thanking well-wishers and exuding excitement about his upcoming trip.

"My man!" Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander wrote of Shatner's late-career pivot. "I guess this means I have to become a marine biologist."

"It's never too late to experience new things my friend," Shatner replied.
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Note from me: Guys, I'm so excited about this that I couldn't resist modifying this beautiful picture of Blue Origin's New Shepard. I wish Blue Origin CEA Bob Smith would do the same thing to the spacecraft going up on Tuesday with William Shatner!

It would be a nice way to show people the dreams can come true.





William Shatner To Boldly Go To Space On Blue Origin Rocket


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

I can see the headline now: WILLIAM SHATNER GOING INTO OUTER SPACE---FORMER STAR TREK CAST MEMBERS HOPE HE STAYS THERE.

[Bud Brewster]

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I wish we could have a get-together in All Sci-Fi's Chatzy Room (< — LINK) on Tuesday and watch this great event!

The fact that the aging actor who played the beloved captain of the Enterprise is actually being flown into space is a dream come true for life-long fans of Star Trek . . . along with every science fiction series ever made!

This man's portrayal of a 23rd century starship captain inspired countless young people to become sci-fi fans — along with science enthusiast and actual scientist!

Tuesday's launch of the Blue Origins spacecraft is mankind's way of thanking William Shatner for his contribution to a TV series that presented an optimistic future in which mankind conquered the stars!

And the fact that Mr. Shatner is risking all this at the age of 90 — 8 years older than my beloved mother was when she died at 82, and 17 years older than I am today — fills me with the hope that I might live long enough to contribute something just as wonderful to mankind!

Please, folks . . . join me in the chat room on Tuesday. It's an event few of us will see again in our lifetime.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

So Bud, you say he's going to completely Shatner the age record?

You know that eventually, SOMEONE was going to say it.

David.

[Bud Brewster]

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Yes, being witty is a thankless job, but somebody has to do it . . .
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

Blue Origin has delayed Shatner's launch aboard NS-18 by a day to October 13th at 9:30AM Eastern following predictions of strong winds in West Texas. The rough weather was the "only gating factor," Blue Origin said in a statement, noting that the passengers began their training today (October 10th).

"Due to forecasted winds in West Texas we are pushing #NS18 launch target to Wednesday, October 13. Liftoff is targeted for 8:30 am CDT ."

Stay tuned,,,
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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Thanks for the update! It's good to have you manning Mission Control, Gordo!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

TO BOLDLY GO.....



Here's the plan for the flight...





I wonder if he'll find Kahn up there?
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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The launch of Blue Origin's NS-18 mission is at 8:30 tomorrow. I haven't found a live streaming source for it yet.

Anyone have info about that?

Meanwhile, here's NCC-1701 Light warping into orbit, at warp factor 0.00001.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

If all goes according to plan, Shatner and three shipmates will enjoy their ride in Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital spaceship at 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT) Wednesday, at the company’s Launch Site One in West Texas. Blue Origin plans to stream coverage of the countdown via its website,

https://www.blueorigin.com/

Starting 90 minutes before liftoff.
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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Thanks, Gordo. We'll stay tuned right here to All Sci-Fi's Mission Control for further updates.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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The flight was a completely success, and after the touch down Shatner expressed his feeling about the experience extremely well in a conversation with Jeff Bezos while the two men were standing next to the capsule.

Several times he was overcome with emotion for a moment! It was very moving.

Gord Green and I chatted during the entire time — before, during, and after the flight — and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

When the Sci Channel coverage ended while Shatner was still talk, he and I switch over to the Blue Origin YouTube channel and continued watching.

When their live stream finally concluded, I switched to CNN, and the people there were very enthusiastic about Shatner's eloquent comments concerning his emotional reaction to the experience.

All in all, this was every bit as rewarding and inspiring as I hoped it would be.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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Mankind now has a new quartet of famous space explorers!

First Man into Space . . . . First American into Space




First Man on the Moon . . . and First Starship Captain!



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

Bills' comment after getting out of the capsule...

"What you have given me is the most profound experience. I am so filled with emotion about what just happened. It's extraordinary," Shatner said, tearing up. "I hope I never recover from this. I hope that I can maintain what I feel now. I don't want to lose it.

"It's so much larger than me and life. It hasn't got anything to do with the little green men. ... It has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death."
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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Here's a 38-second clip of the weightless period which William Shartner and his shipmates experienced. Shatner was clearly overwhelmed by what he was experiencing.

It's easy to understand why he was so enthusiastic in his comments after he beamed down.

I mean . . . after he touched down.


_________ New Shepard Mission NS-18: Apogee








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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)