B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� actor William Shatner became the oldest person to go to space when he lifted off Wednesday morning on Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 second crewed flight.

Shatner, 90, was part of a four-person crew who rode inside Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 New Shepard capsule and experienced a few minutes of weightlessness in suborbital space before coming back down to Earth. Liftoff occurred at about 9:50 a.m. Central time from Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 launch site near Van Horn, Texas. The launch was originally set for 9 a.m., but there were two brief holds that delayed the flight.

The actor joined Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 vice president of mission and flight operations, Audrey Powers; Chris Boshuizen, who co-founded small-satellite company Planet; and software executive Glen de Vries.

Boshuizen and de Vries were the only paying passengers aboard the flight. Shatner flew as a guest of Blue Origin, which was founded by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos.

Shatner, who is best known for exploring space as Capt. James T. Kirk in the original B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� TV series and movies, said in a statement before the launch that he had B次元官网网址渉eard about space for a long time nowB次元官网网址� and was B次元官网网址渢aking the opportunity to see it for myself.B次元官网网址�

As the capsule floated back to the west Texas desert, Shatner could be heard in on-capsule audio saying: B次元官网网址淭hat was unlike anything they described.B次元官网网址�

Upon landing back on Earth after the 10-minute flight, Shatner was visibly overcome by emotion. As Bezos greeted the crew members and sprayed celebratory champagne into the air, Shatner stood apart from the rest of his fellow travelers and the assembled crowd of friends, family and Blue Origin employees, seemingly pensive.

He mused to Bezos about rocketing through the atmosphere and seeing the transition between blue sky and the blackness of space, as a nearby camera crew filmed his reaction. He described the sky as B次元官网网址渢his comforter of blue that we have around us.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just, there is mother of earth and comfort and there is B次元官网网址� is there, death?B次元官网网址� Shatner said. B次元官网网址淚t has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death, and oh, my God.B次元官网网址�

He wiped his eyes and touched his chin.

B次元官网网址淚 am overwhelmed,B次元官网网址� Shatner said.

He breaks the Guinness World Record for oldest person to fly to space, which was set this summer by Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer.

Funk flew at the age of 82 on Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 first crewed flight to suborbital space, which also carried Bezos, his brother Mark and Oliver Daemen, the son of a Dutch private equity executive and Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 first paying customer.

Before WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 liftoff, the Blue Origin capsule communicator read out messages from that first crew to the individuals strapped into the spacecraft.

B次元官网网址淚 hope this flight will be the most fantastic experience of your life as it was mine,B次元官网网址� Funk said in her message.

FunkB次元官网网址檚 July flight came about a week after British billionaire Richard Branson flew to suborbital space on his company Virgin GalacticB次元官网网址檚 space plane, sparking criticism that the space tourism missions by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic were exclusive joy rides for the ultrawealthy.

The companies have touted the opportunity for research to be done in suborbital space.

Critics say the billionaires should use their wealth to improve life on Earth, rather than rocketing themselves to suborbital space.

Analysts say the suborbital space tourism market is unlikely to drastically decrease its customer prices anytime soon. Virgin Galactic, for example, recently reopened its ticket sales for $450,000 a seat. And as the market grows, high-profile customers such as Shatner are key to attracting new customers, said Phil Smith, senior space analyst at space analytics and engineering firm BryceTech.

B次元官网网址淭hat cool factor is going to help generate a buzz,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲illiam Shatner has been in our living rooms and theaters for so long, and heB次元官网网址檚 familiar to folks. (His character) represents to a lot of people a hopeful message about our future in space.B次元官网网址�

As captain of the Starship Enterprise, Kirk and his crew traveled the universe, explored space B次元官网网址� the final frontier B次元官网网址� and engaged in space diplomacy as well as battles.

Today, Shatner is the host and executive producer of the History Channel show B次元官网网址淭he UnXplained,B次元官网网址� which is from the producers of B次元官网网址淎ncient AliensB次元官网网址� and delves into a variety of mysterious topics, including Bigfoot, plane vanishings and the moon.

WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 launch comes as 21 current and former Blue Origin employees published a recent letter accusing the company of fostering a sexist and toxic work environment that prioritized speed and cost reduction over quality. In a statement to the site that hosted the letter, Blue Origin said it had B次元官网网址渘o toleranceB次元官网网址� for discrimination or harassment and stands by its safety record.

B次元官网网址擲amantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times