Blue Origin Postpones William Shatner’s Suborbital Mission to Wednesday
Blue Origin announced on Sunday that its New Shepard 18 launch has been pushed from Tuesday, Oct 12 to Wednesday, Oct 13 due to forecasted winds.
Why the Delay?
The company’s mission operations team noted that Tuesday’s wind conditions were not ideal for a safe launch, so they decided to wait a day. All systems were otherwise ready, and astronauts began training on Sunday.
Who’s On Board?
- William Shatner – best known as Captain Kirk from Star Trek.
- A four‑person crew totalling five on the suborbital flight.
- Shatner is a guest of Blue Origin, though the company sold nearly $100 M (S$135 M) in tickets to other paying customers.
What’s Next?
After a successful launch with Jeff Bezos in July, Blue Origin is keeping the momentum. The vehicle met all launch requirements, and the crew will finalize preparations before the updated date.