America's first Black astronaut candidate has finally made it to space 60 years later, flying with Jeff Bezos’ rocket company. Ninety-year-old Dwight blasted off from West Texas with five other passengers on Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
Ed Dwight, who was once considered for NASA's astronaut program during the early 1960s but wasn't selected, finally achieved his dream of space travel at the age of 90.
Accompanied by five other passengers, Dwight embarked on a brief journey aboard a Blue Origin capsule, experiencing moments of weightlessness during the approximately 10-minute flight. Describing the experience as life-changing, he expressed his newfound enthusiasm for space exploration.
The flight, which took off from West Texas, set a new record for the oldest person in space, surpassing William Shatner's milestone in 2021. This marked Blue Origin's return to crewed launches after a hiatus following a 2022 incident. Despite previous setbacks, the company successfully resumed flights in December, culminating in this seventh voyage with space tourists.
Dwight, now a sculptor based in Denver, shared the capsule with four entrepreneurs and a retired accountant, their ticket prices undisclosed. Partially sponsored by the nonprofit Space for Humanity, Dwight's participation symbolizes a significant moment in the history of space travel and racial inclusion. While he wasn't chosen for NASA's astronaut program in 1963, Dwight's journey underscores the strides made since then, with the first Black American astronaut not selected until 1978. Since leaving the military, Dwight has pursued a career in sculpture, creating works that celebrate Black history and have even been sent into space.
