🚀 Don't stop chasing your dreams

In the early 1960’s, President John F. Kennedy declared that he wanted an African American in NASA’s astronaut corps. And a young Ed Dwight, who trained at the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, could've made that a reality.

After passing through the initial round of training and being declared a star student, however, Ed was sadly not chosen as an astronaut. A few years later, he resigned from the Air Force and decided to go into the arts instead, becoming a professional sculptor for the rest of his career.

• Ed loves his art, but for sixty years, he has wondered what it would be like to travel into space like he always dreamed of.

Now, at 90 years old, his days of wondering are over. Ed was part of a recent commercial Blue Origin rocket launch, blasting off into space for about ten minutes along with five others – fulfilling his lifelong dream to soar above Earth's atmosphere.

• While the other five crewmates were believed to have purchased their seats (at ~$500,000/pop), Ed’s ticket was sponsored by the non-profit Space for Humanity, with support from the Jaison and Jamie Robinson Foundation.

A weight(lessness) off the shoulders

According to CBS News, the 10-minute sub-orbital flight accelerated the capsule to more than 2,100 mph at an altitude of 185,000 feet, before releasing to continue coasting up to an altitude of ~343,000 feet (~65 miles). The crew had about three minutes of weightlessness above the atmosphere before returning back to Earth.

• "There was a part of my career that wasn't quite fulfilled,” Ed shared with CBS. “And here's a grand opportunity at this late date to fulfill that."
• "I didn't think I needed this in my life," the ecstatic nonagenarian said after climbing out of the capsule upon touch down. "I lied!"

From passed-over to record holder: After completing the flight, Ed claimed the world record for the oldest person to ever travel into space.