Those of us who were sentient during the late 1960s recall the voice of William Shatner, in his role as Captain James T. Kirk, commander of the USS Enterprise, introducing each episode of Star Trek. Shatner was a household name back in the days of those first three seasons ("The Original Series"). Among certain groups of fans, he probably still is.
Shatner is still alive, over a half century later. Looking a bit stouter, perhaps, at the age of 90, but probably still capable of taking a starship out for a whirl.
We'll soon find out. Shatner is scheduled to blast into space on Wednesday, October 13, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT). He will be flying in the New Shepherd NS-18, developed by Blue Origin, the space travel company owned by Jeff Bezos. Shatner probably won't captain the ship, of course, but at age 90 he will certainly be an impressive and adventurous crew member.
Blue Origin's motto is “Gradatim Ferociter” (“step by step, ferociously”). I love it.
I'm impressed that Shatner is about to experience in real life the adventure he portrayed so memorably as a young man.
So impressed that I'd like to imitate his feat. In high school, I myself played (I blushingly admit) a leading role in our school's grandiose production of Around the World in Eighty Days. I'm tempted now to achieve the same feat in real life, just like Shatner. Circumnavigate the earth in eighty days.
Of course, in Star Trek, Shatner traveled throughout our galaxy. Wednesday, he'll ascend only 63 miles above the earth's surface.
Maybe I should similarly lower my sights. Maybe I'll just drive from Seattle to Spokane. In one day.
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