That's about 10,000 times higher than the rate on commercial airplanes. For now, the Federal Aviation Administration just ensures that these rocket launches don't pose a threat to other aircraft or to people on the ground.Ībout 1% of US human spaceflights have resulted in a fatal accident, according to an analysis published earlier this year. Still, no federal agency regulates the safety of passengers on private commercial spaceflights. Blue Origin has tested the escape system on the launchpad, in midair, and in space. It also has an emergency-escape system that should jettison the passenger capsule away if the rocket malfunctions.
New Shepard has flown 16 times - a strong record. The company's statement added that Abrams "was dismissed for cause two years ago after repeated warnings for issues involving federal export control regulations." Abrams denied receiving such warnings. Jeff Bezos inspects a New Shepard rocket booster after it landed from a test flight. The flight is automated, so no pilot will be on board. He will share the spaceship with former NASA engineer Chris Boshuizen, healthcare entrepreneur Glen de Vries, and Blue Origin's vice president of mission and flight operations, Audrey Powers. "I'm thrilled and anxious and a little nervous and a little frightened about this whole new adventure," Shatner told the "Today" show last week.Īt age 90, Shatner will become the oldest person to reach the boundary of space, breaking the record set by 82-year-old aviator Wally Funk on Bezos' July flight. This is the company's second flight with passengers its first carried Bezos and three others above the planet in July. They'll get about three minutes of weightlessness. The entire flight lasts just 11 minutes, with passengers reaching an altitude of 62 miles. Kirk in "Star Trek," actor William Shatner is about to fly to space in real life.īlue Origin, the rocket company Jeff Bezos founded in 2000, is preparing to rocket Shatner and three others to the edge of space aboard its New Shepard launch system at 9 a.m. Update: William Shatner and three other passengers flew to the edge of space aboard the New Shepard rocket and landed safely on Wednesday morning.įive decades after debuting as the cosmos-exploring commander Captain James T. Model rocket manufacturer Estes has debuted its identical miniature version of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space ship, starting at the suggestive price of 69.99.
Watch Blue Origin's livestream of the 11-minute spaceflight below. The Jeff-Bezos-founded company is due to launch Shatner and three others at 9 a.m. "Star Trek" actor William Shatner is to fly to the edge of space on a Blue Origin rocket. VAN HORN, Texas (AP) Jeff Bezos blasted into space Tuesday on his rocket company’s first flight with people on board, becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride his own spacecraft.
William Shatner (left) purchased a seat on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket (right).
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