One Canadian spaceman to another, former astronaut Chris Hadfield is encouraging William Shatner to follow the wise words of Captain James T. Kirk as he braces himself for a real-life blastoff: B次元官网网址淏oldly go.B次元官网网址�
Hadfield said he quoted the B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� starB次元官网网址檚 iconic mantra in a note wishing him well on his voyage aboard Jeff BezosB次元官网网址� Blue Origin rocket ship on Wednesday.
The flight was originally planned for Tuesday but Blue Origin has announced it is being delayed 24 hours due to forecasted high winds.
Hadfield, a self-identified Trekkie who commanded the International Space Station, said heB次元官网网址檚 thrilled that after decades of service in the fictional Spacefleet, the Quebec-raised actor will soon get to experience the final frontier for himself.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 great that a little kid from Montreal, who portrayed a legendary starship captain who inspired me as a kid, is now actually going to be weightless and in space and seeing the curve of the world from above,B次元官网网址� Hadfield said in an interview.
Shatner had a chance to get HadfieldB次元官网网址檚 thoughts on space travel while he was floating aboard the International Space Station in 2013.
One question he had was how Hadfield deals with fear about the dangers of spaceflight, a concern that may be on ShatnerB次元官网网址檚 mind in the leadup to WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 launch.
But Hadfield maintained that Shatner shouldnB次元官网网址檛 sweat it, suggesting the B次元官网网址渏ourneymanB次元官网网址� actorB次元官网网址檚 time on the stage should serve him well in space.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 done a lot of live theatre, and thereB次元官网网址檚 pressure in that your entire reputation relies on your preparation and your skill,B次元官网网址� said Hadfield, whose debut novel, B次元官网网址淭he Apollo Murders,B次元官网网址� hits shelves Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a super experienced and interesting and self-propelled guy. HeB次元官网网址檒l be fine.B次元官网网址�
However, ShatnerB次元官网网址檚 trip through the stratosphere will drastically differ from Captain KirkB次元官网网址檚 intergalactic adventures, Hadfield noted.
While Shatner piloted the USS Enterprise as a performer, heB次元官网网址檒l be a passenger on Blue OriginB次元官网网址檚 New Shepard NS-18 capsule, said Hadfield.
And rather than traversing the cosmos, ShatnerB次元官网网址檚 10-minute flight will reach no higher than about 106 kilometres before the rocket descends to the desert floor of West Texas, not far from where it took off.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sort of like the difference between diving into a swimming pool and swimming the Atlantic,B次元官网网址� said Hadfield.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a purely physical, personal, psychological experience for him. Whereas the character he portrayed on B次元官网网址楽tar Trek,B次元官网网址� or the reality of my space flight experience, thatB次元官网网址檚 their life. ThatB次元官网网址檚 where they live. The environment defines who they are.B次元官网网址�
At 90 years old, Shatner will also have the distinction of becoming the oldest person to go into space.
When it comes to the risks of space flight, Hadfield said age is just a number, and there are a variety of medical factors that determine whether someone can safely sustain the rigours of rocket launch and re-entry.
While professional astronauts have to be in peak physical condition, Hadfield said the health requirements for space tourists are much lower, and heB次元官网网址檚 confident that Shatner is in ship shape.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a very benign flight profile,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f you would trust your 90-year-old relative on a really rough roller-coaster, then I think you could trust him on this particular spaceship.B次元官网网址�
Hadfield demurred at the suggestion that he offer Shatner any words of advice, insisting that the actorB次元官网网址檚 wealth of life experience should leave him well prepared for takeoff.
But if he had one suggestion to share, it would be to enjoy the ride.
B次元官网网址淢ake the absolute most of it. DonB次元官网网址檛 miss the experience worrying about ancillary stuff,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淩eally soak it up.B次元官网网址�
Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press
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