By Tim Binnall
Beloved Hollywood icon William Shatner made history earlier today when he journeyed into space aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard Rocket. The highly anticipated event saw Star Trek's famed Captain Kirk join three other individuals who participated in the private company's second such mission. The flight reportedly lasted approximately ten minutes and allowed the crew to experience around four minutes of weightlessness before the craft safely landed back on Earth. By reaching an altitude of 66 miles, which crossed the official barrier of space, the 90-year-old actor is now the oldest person ever to pull off such a remarkable feat.
Upon returning to terra firma, a deeply moved Shatner rested his hands on Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos' shoulders and declared that "what you have given me is the most profound experience I could ever imagine." The actor went on to marvel that "I'm so filled with emotion over what just happened. It's extraordinary" and mused that "everybody in the world needs to do this." No doubt Blue Origin hopes that will someday be the case as Wednesday's launch was another significant step in the burgeoning space tourism industry that is poised to eventually allow everyday people to follow in Shatner's footsteps and 'boldly go' on a similar journey of their own.