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VAN HORN, Texas – Hollywood's Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, counted down Wednesday toward his wildest relation yet: riding a rocket into space, courtesy of “Star Trek” instrumentality Jeff Bezos.

The histrion joined 3 different passengers for the greeting motorboat from distant West Texas. Bezos’ abstraction question company, Blue Origin, invited Shatner connected the jaunt to the last frontier, a ngo that would marque him the oldest idiosyncratic successful space.

The travel was expected to past conscionable 10 minutes, with the afloat automated capsule reaching an altitude of astir 66 miles (106 kilometers) earlier parachuting backmost to the godforsaken floor.

Bezos was astatine the expansive motorboat and landing tract to thrust the 4 to the pad and spot them off.

“This is simply a pinch-me infinitesimal for each of america to spot Capt. James Tiberius Kirk spell to space,” Blue Origin motorboat commentator Jacki Cortese said earlier liftoff. She said she, similar truthful galore others, was drawn to the abstraction concern by shows similar “Star Trek.”

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It was Blue Origin’s 2nd scheduled rider flight, utilizing the aforesaid capsule and rocket that Bezos utilized for his ain motorboat 3 months ago.

Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson kicked disconnected the U.S.-based abstraction tourism roar successful July, riding his ain rocket vessel to space. Bezos followed 9 days aboriginal aboard his ain capsule. Elon Musk stayed down arsenic his SpaceX institution launched its archetypal tourer formation past month.

And past week, the Russians sent an histrion and movie manager to the International Space Station for movie-making.

“We’re conscionable astatine the beginning, but however miraculous that opening is. How bonzer it is to beryllium portion of that beginning,” Shatner said successful a Blue Origin video posted connected the eve of his flight.

Rounding retired the crew: a Blue Origin vice president and 2 entrepreneurs. Blue Origin did not divulge their summons prices. Shatner was invited to thrust for free.

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Dunn reported from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

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