Star Trek's William Shatner Sets Record With Blue Origin Spaceflight

William Shatner just broke a record by going into space. At 90 years old, the Star Trek: The Original Series star became the oldest person ever to go into space when he launched with three other crew members in the New Shepard NS-18. He's already touched back down on Earth and waxed poetic about the view upon his return. "It was so moving to me," he said immediately after landing. "This experience is something unbelievable." Speaking to Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, Shatner said, "I'm so filled with emotion about what just happened ... it's extraordinary."

That's certainly a different attitude than he had before launch. Previously, Shatner said he was terrified of journeying into space. 

"I'm terrified. I'm Captain Kirk and I'm terrified," he said. I'm not really terrified-yes I am. It comes and goes like a summer cold. I'm planning on putting my nose against the window (while in space) and my only hope is I won't see someone else looking back."

Shatner is known best for playing Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek. He also starred in T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal. He's a director, recording artist, and horseman and, according to a press release, "has long wanted to travel to space." 

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

"I want to see space, I want to see the Earth, I want to see what we need to do to save Earth," Shatner told Gayle King on CBS Mornings prior to launch. "I want to have a perspective that hasn't been shown to me before. That's what I'm interested in seeing."

Shatner hosts and executive produces The UnXplained on The History Channel. From the producers of Ancient Aliens and The Curse of Oak Island, The UnXplained is a one-hour non-fiction series that explores the world's most fascinating, strange, and inexplicable mysteries.

Blue Origin is a privately funded aerospace manufacturer that conducts sub-orbital spaceflights. Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000. In July, the company had its first crewed mission with Bezos himself part of the New Shepard's crew.

What do you think of William Shatner heading into space? Let us know what you think in the comments.