Bezos Reaches for a Star

Next week, in a thoroughly modern blurring of reality and fiction, William Shatner will soar to space with Blue Origin. Do you care?

On the morning of Oct. 12, William Shatner, best known for his role as the Star Trek franchise’s original Captain Kirk, will take a seat atop the New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle, built by Blue Origin, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ space concern.

From a West Texas launchpad, he will ascend approximately 63 miles, before the passenger capsule will separate from the rocket and both will return home.

Mr. Shatner’s itinerary includes four minutes floating in microgravity. “Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a ‘rocket man!’” Mr. Shatner wrote on Twitter on Monday. “I’ve heard about space for a long time now,” he quipped in a statement released by Blue Origin. “I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle.”