First black astronaut candidate, now 90, becomes oldest person to reach space!

Ed Dwight, a 90-year-old former Air Force pilot and sculptor, finally experienced space travel with Blue Origin, decades after being denied the opportunity to become the first Black astronaut. Dwight and five others, including venture capitalist Mason Angel and French entrepreneur Sylvain Chiron, embarked on a 10-minute sub-orbital journey aboard the New Shepard rocket, reaching speeds of 2,100 mph and a height of 65 miles. Dwight, now the world's oldest astronaut, found the experience "life-changing" and hopes it inspires better environmental stewardship. Despite a minor parachute issue, the mission, Blue Origin's first manned flight in nearly two years, was successful. Dwight's trip, funded by the nonprofit Space for Humanity, fulfills a long-held dream supported by fans and honors his contributions to Black history through his art.