Blue Origin to Fly 90-Year-Old Ed Dwight into Outer Space

Former Air Force Pilot Prepares for Historic Spaceflight

Blue Origin, the American privately-funded aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company, has a groundbreaking mission on the horizon. Setting an age record, 90-year-old former US Air Force Captain Ed Dwight is pegged to be among the six passengers traveling aboard the New Shepard reusable rocket out past Earth's atmosphere. Dwight's inclusion notably recalls a time when he could have been America's first Black astronaut, back when he joined the Aerospace Research Pilot School in 1961. However, due to political circumstances, that reality never materialized.

Their upcoming mission, NS-25, marks an important step for Blue Origin and the aerospace industry regarding notions of age, access, and diverse representation. This mission follows the historic 2021 travel of 85-year-old Wally Funk, demonstrating the continuous efforts of the company to make spaceflight a possibility for a broader demographic.