William Shatner Has Thoughtful Reaction about the View of Earth from Space

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Oct 18, 2021
William Shatner entertains a capacity crowd at Days of the Dead, a horror and pop culture-themed convention taking place through the weekend at the downtown Westin Hotel, Indianapolis, Saturday, July 6, 2019. Autograph signings, a trade show, and lots of cosplay marks the three-day event. 30 Horror Able Photos For Indy Convention

Star Trek’s William Shatner, who portrayed Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series over fifty years ago, traveled to space last week. Transported by Jeff Bezos’ company Blue Origin, Shatner became the oldest human to reach outer space to date.

While Shatner’s trek to space only lasted 10 minutes, the experience left a profound impact on the actor, evidenced by his heartfelt musings upon returning to Earth.

Shatner told NBC’s Today Show on Thursday he tried to plan something clever to say when he returned from the adventure but instead was overwhelmed by the majesty of the event.

Specifically about Earth, Shatner affirmed from his vantage point the planet looked so “fragile.”

And that’s on-brand for the frontman of a show that ushered in a progressive view of the world all the way back in the 1960s. Shatner easily could’ve touted the sheer beauty or grandeur of Earth from above — as many folks would or should — yet he used the interview to hint at our planet’s delicate state. It’s a safe bet to presume Shatner believes in the legitimacy of climate change and the science behind it, so announcing in the interview the planet’s fragility was an apropos tactic.

The crew of NS-18 with the New Shepard booster. (October 13, 2021)
Image Courtesy of BlueOrigin.com

Shatner also poked fun at himself about age. The media had a field day exalting Shatner’s age before, during, and after the mission — he’s 90, after all — but Shatner personally insinuated that fact was overblown. Then, as the trip wound down, Shatner nervously realized he, indeed, was 90 years old.

This interview wasn’t quite stuffed full of laughs like his chat with Anderson Cooper before the space romp, but it did aptly put a bow on Shatner’s momentous day.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His odyssey with Star Trek starts from beginning to finish, watching ‘The Original Series,’ all the way to the present day. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).