CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — Michael Strahan, a TV celebrity and former football great, will have to wait a few more days before launching into space.
Strahan was supposed to take off with five other people from West Texas on Thursday for the 10-minute flight. However, due to high winds, Jeff Bezos’ space travel company, Blue Origin, postponed the launch to Saturday on Wednesday.
Strahan is a former NFL player and co-host of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Laura Shepard Churchley, the oldest daughter of America’s first astronaut, Alan Shepard, and four paying customers will accompany him on the short flight. The price has not been disclosed by the company.
“Blue Origin approached me and asked if I wanted to be a crew member, and I said ‘yes’ without hesitation.” Strahan informed his co-hosts on “GMA,” Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos. “I’ve always wanted to go to space!”
The 50-year-old covered Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin’s first human space launch this summer and has been “enamoured” with human space travel ever since, he says.
“It will take some time, but I believe it will bring many technological breakthroughs and innovations to us here on Earth… and all I wanted to do was be a part of it, “He stated.
It will be Blue Origin’s third human-powered launch. In July, Bezos boarded the first passenger flight.
Strahan isn’t the first well-known face to venture into space. In October, William Shatner, best known for his role in the original “Star Trek” series and the first six films in the “Star Trek” film franchise, launched into space with Blue Origin.
The 90-year-old actor became the oldest person to visit space, and upon his return to Earth, he described an emotional experience.
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