Ed Dwight, America’s pioneering Black astronaut candidate, made history by becoming the oldest person ever to venture into space on Sunday. This milestone occurred during Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-25 spacecraft launch, marking the company’s first manned mission since 2022.
At 90 years old, Dwight’s space voyage comes more than six decades after President John F. Kennedy nominated him for the prestigious Aerospace Research Pilot School in 1961. This school, a part of the Air Force, was responsible for selecting NASA astronauts. Despite his Air Force endorsement, Dwight wasn’t chosen for NASA’s astronaut candidate team following Kennedy’s tragic assassination.
Blue Origin’s NS-25 flight represents the seventh manned journey to space for the company. Dwight’s participation in this historic flight sets a new record for the oldest person to experience space travel and return safely.
America’s First Black Astronaut Candidate Rockets into Space
After a 60-year wait, America’s first Black astronaut candidate finally made it to space, riding with Jeff Bezos’ rocket company on Sunday.
Ed Dwight, originally an Air Force pilot, was once backed by President John F. Kennedy for NASA’s early astronaut candidate team, but he didn’t make the cut in 1963.
Now at 90, Dwight experienced a few minutes of weightlessness aboard the Blue Origin capsule alongside five others during a brief 10-minute spaceflight. He described it as a transformative moment, saying, “I thought I didn’t need this in my life, but now I’m ecstatic.”
This journey made Dwight the oldest person to ever venture into space, surpassing the record previously held by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner in 2021.
The flight marked Blue Origin’s return to crewed launches after a two-year hiatus following a 2022 accident. Despite setbacks, the company has now completed seven successful flights carrying space tourists.
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Journey of Ed Dwight
Ed Dwight, a sculptor based in Denver, recently boarded a rocket by Bezos, accompanied by four entrepreneurs from the U.S. and France, along with a retired accountant. While ticket prices remained undisclosed, Dwight’s spot was partly funded by Space for Humanity, a nonprofit.
Despite being recommended by the Air Force as a potential astronaut candidate for NASA back in 1963, Dwight wasn’t selected for the class that included eventual Gemini and Apollo astronauts like Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Notably, NASA didn’t choose any Black astronauts until 1978, with Guion Bluford becoming the first African American in space in 1983. The Soviets beat them to it, launching the first Black astronaut, Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, a Cuban of African descent, in 1980.
Following his military service until 1966, Dwight embarked on a career at IBM and later ventured into construction before pursuing a master’s degree in sculpture during the late 1970s. Since then, he has dedicated himself to art, particularly focusing on Black history. His portfolio includes various memorials and monuments nationwide, some of which have even made their way into space.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q.1. Who is Ed Dwight?
Ans. Ed Dwight is America’s pioneering Black astronaut candidate, nominated by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 for NASA’s astronaut team.
Q.2. What is Blue Origin’s NS-25 flight?
Ans. Blue Origin’s NS-25 flight is a historic manned mission, marking the company’s first manned journey since 2022, with Ed Dwight aboard.
Q.3. How old is Ed Dwight during the NS-25 flight?
Ans. At 90 years old, Ed Dwight became the oldest person ever to venture into space during the NS-25 flight.
Q.4. How many successful flights has Blue Origin completed?
Ans. Blue Origin has completed seven successful flights carrying space tourists, including the NS-25 flight.
Q.5. What is Ed Dwight’s background?
Ans. Ed Dwight, originally an Air Force pilot, pursued a career in sculpture focusing on Black history after his military service.
