Blue Origin is gearing up for its 25th space mission, with 90-year-old Ed Dwight set to join the six-person crew. Back in 1961, Dwight was chosen by JFK to undergo training as the first Black astronaut. However, despite his initial acceptance of the role, he was ultimately not selected, and the opportunity passed him by. Now, more than sixty years later, Dwight will finally get his chance to fly to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.
Joining Dwight on this historic flight are Mason Angel, the founder of Industrious Ventures VC firm; Sylvain Chiron, the founder of Brasserie Mont Blanc brewing company; Kenneth Hess, a pioneering software engineer; Carol Schaller, a retired CPA; and Gopi Thotakura, a pilot. Dwight's seat on the mission is sponsored by Space for Humanity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to space travel. The launch date for this mission has not yet been announced.
Dwight, who was born in segregated Kansas in 1933, served as an Air Force pilot and was the only Black officer who met the criteria to become an astronaut. Despite his qualifications, Dwight initially hesitated to accept the role after being selected by the Kennedy Administration. He ultimately never had the chance to participate in NASA's program and resigned from the Air Force. Following his resignation, Dwight pursued a career as a sculptor after earning his MFA in Sculpture from the University of Denver.
Although Dwight's role as the first Black astronaut candidate was largely forgotten by the public, his story was brought back into the spotlight in 2023 when National Geographic released a documentary titled "The Space Race," which highlighted the contributions of the first Black astronauts in US history.
A spokesperson for Space for Humanity did not respond to a request for comment.