Star Trek's William Shatner reflects on his time in space
William Shatner gained his astronaut wings in his flight with Blue Origin last year
AUGUST 16, 2022 - Actor, writer, director, producer, pitchman, and even recording artist William Shatner says. “We’re gambling with our planet.”
The 91 year old beloved entertainer, best known for his iconic portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk, in the cult classic Star Trek says that his journey into space has changed his thinking of how we’re doing as a planet. Having blasted off into space from the Texas-based Blue Origin in October 2021, he came back more somber, more alert to the needs we face as a species. He said that he fears for his great-grandchildren and the ‘great burden’ they face in the future.
After his headline-making trip, becoming the oldest person to ever have traveled into space, he came back visibly emotional, overcome with more than just the experience itself. He stated at that time, ‘everyone in the world needs to do this.’
In space at an altitude of around 350,000 feet, in the linked video, he experienced weightlessness and saw the curvature of the earth. (Though Mr. Shatner, this journalist must point out that in the video, you missed a perfect opportunity. When looking out the window, you turned back to look into the cabin. At the point, you should have said, “There’s…..something…….on…….the wing!”)
Mr. Shatner further said, “When I went up there and I could see the curvature of the Earth and the vast blackness surrounding it, it really hit home how much we don’t know and how we’re gambling with our planet…I couldn’t help but think about the terrible burden that Clive, my two-year-old great-grandchild, is facing when he gets older.”
Mr. Shatner had written a note to the Blue Origin’s Club for the Future program for aspiring astronauts, telling them that it was “the most important and practical concept for space use and for aiding in saving planet Earth.”
And we’ll end this article on one of the most profound statements he made after his experience. He said that the wealthy should be “trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live.” For the full story head over to METRO UK.