William Shatner space
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Legendary actor William Shatner of “Star Trek” fame spoke out this week with a message to those who think that at 90 years of age, he’s too old to travel to space with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin crew.

Shatner is scheduled to blast off Wednesday morning on a quick trip to the edge of space and back. He’s reportedly going as a guest rather than a paying customer.

He’s joining Chris Boshuizen, founder of Earth-observation company Planet Labs; microbiologist Glen de Vries; and Blue Origin’s Audrey Powers for blastoff on a 10-minute up-and-down flight out of the discernible atmosphere to the edge of space.

Shatner Is Bound For Space

During New York Comic Con, Shatner let the world know that he doesn’t want his age to be a major factor in how people perceive his space trip. Shatner recalled that two women recently came up to him “and they said, ‘Alright, how would you like to go up? You’ll be the oldest guy in space.’”

“I don’t want to be known as the oldest guy who went to space — I’m bloody Captain Kirk, for God’s sake!” Shatner exclaimed as the crowd cheered, according to Mediaite

Related: William Shatner Shuts Down Bratty Millennial Who Hurls Boomer Insult

Shatner was asked about his space trip by Fox News host Neil Cavuto in an interview that aired on Tuesday morning. 

‘Why The Bezos Rocket?’

“Congratulations. William Shatner,” Cavuto began. “Why the Bezos rocket over Richard Branson’s?”

Cavuto was referring to the fact that Shatner chose Blue Origin over Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic flight.

“Well, it’s not that I don’t love each of those billionaires, but it’s because the opportunity presented itself,” Shatner replied with a laugh, adding that he was impressed by how Bezos envisioned the Blue Origin program. “This is let’s build now and start right now to protect our planet.”

“You’ve heard this more than you care to, Mr. Shatner, that at 90 years young, you’re the oldest human being up to this point to travel into space,” Cavuto continued. “When you were peppered with that question, you had said over the weekend, ‘I’m bloody Captain Kirk. Yet all they’re focusing on, including this questioner, is your age. What do you think of that?”

Shatner responded that the main concern with his age is if he will be able to get in and out of the seat without assistance.

He has no fears about this, because once he’s in space, he’ll simply “float out of the seat and be weightless.”

“Yes that would be cool,” Cavuto said in agreement.

Related: William Shatner Admits He’s ‘Embarrassed’ To Be Turning 90

Shatner Excited For The Experience

Shatner told the Today Show last week that he is expecting his journey to space to give him a perspective on life that he could not get any other way. 

“I’m going to see the vastness of space and the extraordinary miracle of our Earth and how fragile it is compared to the forces at work in the universe,” he said. “That’s really what I’m looking for.”

He also spoke with Anderson Cooper:

Clearly, Shatner is still just as feisty as ever. He’s showing the world that age really is just a number! 

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