William Shatner is going to space. For real.

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Me thinks the tribbles have been reproducing in Bill's digestive track.

When he was talking to Bezos, he referred to it as his "biome". The tribbles got jumpy before the launch, and he could sense the nervousness in his "biome".

 

[EPflyer]

Here is a photo of the vapor trail from this morning's launch as seen from my font yard. My house is 97 miles west of the launch site. While watching on youtube, I could see the vapor trail in the shot looking down from the booster. I went outside to see if I could spot it and there it was.

 

[aerostadt]

I thought Shatner did fine in his short speech right after coming out of the capsule. I think in recent years he has not spoken as eloquently as when he was Captain Kirk, but that doesn't matter on a day like today. What the heck the guy is 90. I thought he had a few gems to say. I think his flight will help Blue Origin immensely.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I got to see Shatner’s comments again this evening on video with much better sound, and could hear more of what he was trying to say. He was clearly moved, and I appreciated it more on the second viewing.

 

[icyclops]

The stats are in. It cost the other 3 riders $250,000 each for that trip which they were weightless for just 4 minutes….that’s $62,500 per minute….what a deal.
I don’t think Bill had to pay as he was used for marketing/PR which was definitely a deal for Bezos.

 

[Sandy H.]

I got to see Shatner’s comments again this evening on video with much better sound, and could hear more of what he was trying to say. He was clearly moved, and I appreciated it more on the second viewing.

Link? I was bummed about the audio quality with the original for sure.

It looked like he was confused, but after a moment, I figured I would be confused as well. . . has to be a life altering event, even if all of us arm-chair forum pundants want to argue about astronaut and other words. The 90 year old guy just saw the world in a way that only hundreds of people have seen out of the 7 billion of us that are here. I imagine I'd be sick to my stomach and speechless at the same time if I got that ride.

Sandy.

 

[Joekeyo]

IMO
Ballistic trajectory = missile
Orbital flight = Space flight (barely)
Because of his advanced age, Shatner decides not to hold out for the real thing. Something is better than nothing. Go for it, Captain Kirk!

 

[jqavins]

I thought he had a few gems to say.

"I hope I never recover from this." I'm sure it has to be a stunning and awe inspiring experience, even if going orbital or further out would be better. I thought that one comment put it best.

The stats are in. It cost the other 3 riders $250,000 each for that trip which they were weightless for just 4 minutes….that’s $62,500 per minute….what a deal.

If weightlessness is all one wants, one can ride the Vomit Comet. That's not the point.

Money is like anything else in that the more of it you have the less a little bit more or less is worth to you. If these people have enough that a quarter million is worth less to them than an awe inspiring experience that lasts a few minutes (ascent plus weightless time plus decent) then more power to them.

It looked like he was confused, but after a moment, I figured I would be confused as well. . . has to be a life altering event...

Overwhelmed, is what he said. That fits what I saw and heard.

People only listen to what he had to say afterwards because he's famous, obviously. I'm sure others have more or less the same reactions. There's a lot of "Who cares?" sentiment, "Just because he's famous doesn't mean he's any more important." And I thought the same. But I'm thinking now that, because he's famous, lots of people are hearing the immediate reaction from someone who's just been there, which I (now) think is terrific. You might hear the same from the millionaires and other guest riders if anyone put microphones in their faces, but no one does.

I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson on CNN last night saying he wouldn't go unless on a longer trip. (He did the math and said that, relative to s school room globe [he didn't say what size] the altitude of this trip was just the thickness of two dimes.) But even he doesn't know the experience first hand. If he did go, I bet he'd be more eloquent than Shatner was. So while it's his own business if he doesn't want to go, I kind of wish he would. Maybe he'll go on a joy ride to the moon.

EDIT: I just checked, and passenger applications for the Dear Moon mission are closed. I'd have nominated Tyson, but it's too late.

 

[Rob Campbell]

This is a good one.

https://babylonbee.com/news/breaking-evil-mirror-universe-william-shatner-returns-from-space

 

[MikeT]

This is a good one.

https://babylonbee.com/news/breaking-evil-mirror-universe-william-shatner-returns-from-space

LOL
Mike

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Link? I was bummed about the audio quality with the original for sure.

It looked like he was confused, but after a moment, I figured I would be confused as well. . . has to be a life altering event, even if all of us arm-chair forum pundants want to argue about astronaut and other words. The 90 year old guy just saw the world in a way that only hundreds of people have seen out of the 7 billion of us that are here. I imagine I'd be sick to my stomach and speechless at the same time if I got that ride.

Sandy.

Unfortunately, it was a news show I watched last night, so I don’t have a link.

I’m sure he was a bit overwhelmed and confused, so all things considered, he did a pretty good job of conveying he had a profound experience. I’ve never been skydiving, but I’ve heard that many people who try it for the first time have a very hard time putting the experience into words. He was probably going through something like that. Plus, I’m sure part of the deal was he was expected to say something for the cameras, so there was some pressure there.

 

[jqavins]

It's funny that the goatee has become the symbol of the Mirror Universe doubles, even it was only Spock who had one.

 

[icyclops]

"I hope I never recover from this." I'm sure it has to be a stunning and awe inspiring experience, even if going orbital or further out would be better. I thought that one comment put it best.

If weightlessness is all one wants, one can ride the Vomit Comet. That's not the point.

Money is like anything else in that the more of it you have the less a little bit more or less is worth to you. If these people have enough that a quarter million is worth less to them than an awe inspiring experience that lasts a few minutes (ascent plus weightless time plus decent) then more power to them.

Overwhelmed, is what he said. That fits what I saw and heard.

People only listen to what he had to say afterwards because he's famous, obviously. I'm sure others have more or less the same reactions. There's a lot of "Who cares?" sentiment, "Just because he's famous doesn't mean he's any more important." And I thought the same. But I'm thinking now that, because he's famous, lots of people are hearing the immediate reaction from someone who's just been there, which I (now) think is terrific. You might hear the same from the millionaires and other guest riders if anyone put microphones in their faces, but no one does.

I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson on CNN last night saying he wouldn't go unless on a longer trip. (He did the math and said that, relative to s school room globe [he didn't say what size] the altitude of this trip was just the thickness of two dimes.) But even he doesn't know the experience first hand. If he did go, I bet he'd be more eloquent than Shatner was. So while it's his own business if he doesn't want to go, I kind of wish he would. Maybe he'll go on a joy ride to the moon.

EDIT: I just checked, and passenger applications for the Dear Moon mission are closed. I'd have nominated Tyson, but it's too late.

I was merely stating the cost and not making a judgement on who can afford what…and you are right, it’s not the point and not the same. Riding a dropping plane is not the same as being in a capsule able to see the earth and space while floating….

 

[JackC]

Unfortunately, it was a news show I watched last night, so I don’t have a link.

I’m sure he was a bit overwhelmed and confused, so all things considered, he did a pretty good job of conveying he had a profound experience. I’ve never been skydiving, but I’ve heard that many people who try it for the first time have a very hard time putting the experience into words. He was probably going through something like that. Plus, I’m sure part of the deal was he was expected to say something for the cameras, so there was some pressure there.

I did the skydiving thing once when I was 18. It’s five seconds of sheer terror followed by the shock of your body being jerked up toward the sky before you can see for miles around with the only sound is the wind filling your chute. Then you feel like you are floating in total silence. It is a profound experience.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

 

[JStarStar]

Oh, it's on now.

I bet the season ending episode of Picard will be broadcast live from the ISS, courtesy of SpaceX.

 

[Funkworks]

Here's Shatner again on the Tonight Show (promoting an album):

 

[kuririn]

From Star Trek the original movie and series FB page:
The real reason Shatner was overwhelmed with his Blue Origin visit to space!

 

[jqavins]

"Commander Spock, we're getting a signal from Captain Kirk's subcutaneous transponder. We weren't even looking sir, but he's on that primitive vessel that we've been observing."
"Fascinating."
"Should we beam him aboard, sir?"
"We mustn't, lieutenant. Our being seen here has likely damaged the timeline already; we dare not make the captain simply disappear in front of witnesses. He will have to live out the remainder of his life here, in the twenty-first century, just as if we were never here."
"Spock, I can't believe you would just leave Jim here, in this primitive period, when we've got the chance to bring him home!"
"Doctor, you know as well as I do that the prime directive forbids any such direct action here in Earth's history."