Captain Kirk will have to wait a little longer to go where no older man has gone before.
Blue Origin on Sunday delayed William Shatner’s trip to space this week due to high winds.
Shatner, 90, who portrayed the iconic captain in the 1960s TV sci-fi cult classic “Star Trek,” will become the oldest person to travel into space when he blasts off Wednesday, a day later than originally planned.
“Due to forecasted winds on Tuesday, October 12, Blue Origin’s mission operations team has made the decision to delay the launch of NS-18 and is now targeting Wednesday, October 13,” Blue Origin said in a statement.
Shatner be part of a four-person crew aboard the rocket, Blue Origin’s second human launch since its successful flight in July.
“So now I can say something,” a post on Shatner’s Twitter account said last week. “Yes, it’s true. I’m going to be a ‘rocket man.'”
In one Twitter exchange, actor Jason Alexander, who portrayed George Constanza on the hit comedy series “Seinfeld,” posted a shout-out to Shatner.
“@William Shatner is going to space?” Alexander tweeted. “My man! I guess this means I have to become a marine biologist.”
“It’s never too late to experience new things my friend,” Shatner responded. “Hope you are well.”
Shatner’s flight will last 10 minutes and reach about 66 miles into space, with about four minutes of weightlessness expected.
The enterprise will also make him the first “Star Trek” cast member to head into space.
Shatner starred in the original “Star Trek” series from 1966 to 1969, with the show eventually becoming so wildly popular that it spawned a series of hit movies and several successful TV spinoffs.
With Post wires
