Michael Strahan.Photo: Elsa/Getty Images
Michael Strahanis just hours away from blasting off to space!
TheGood Morning Americaanchor, 50, will be one of six crew members heading into space on Blue Origin’s third human flight. The flight, originally scheduled for Thursday, will now take place on Saturday.
Ahead of the blast off, here’s everything to know about the historic flight.
Who is in Strahan’s crew?
Two honorary guests and four paying customers are expected to be on the Blue Origin flight, according tothe company’s website.
Strahan — who is receiving a stipend from Blue Origin as a crew member, which he plans to donate to The Boys & Girls Club — will take one of the guest spots. Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, who was the first American to fly to space, will claim the other spot.
Space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor, investor Evan Dick, Bess Ventures founder Lane Bess and his son Cameron Bess will round out the four remaining spots, which they paid for, per Blue Origin.
The trip will be a milestone in that it’ll be the first time that a Blue Origin flight will carry a full manifest of six astronauts to space. Additionally, Strahan will become the first American news anchor to leave Earth, and Lane and Cameron Bess will become the first parent-child duo to fly in space together.
From left top: Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Evan Dick; from bottom left: Dylan Taylor, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan.Blue Origin
How long will Strahan be in space?
“I’ve done a lot of training camp — but this is definitely some training like no other down here,” said Strahan, who has been preparing for the big day in West Texas, perABC News.
The mission itself won’t take long, though.
“On your 11-minute flight, you’ll travel over 3X the speed of sound to pass the Kármán Line at 100 km (62 mi), float weightless for several minutes, and witness life-changing views of Earth before descending gently under parachutes,“Blue Origin’s websitereads.
Will Strahan really wear a diaper?
Though the specifics of how Blue Originspace travelers relieve themselvesin case of an emergency are unclear, Strahan joked about it during an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
“I had to fly the other day, and I’m looking at the thing and it tells you that you’re 43,000 feet and I’m going, ‘Man, this is way up here. Look at this!'” he said. “And then I realize this is nothing. So I might wear a diaper!”
What will Strahan bring?
Strahanpreviously told PEOPLEthat he had to heed a 3-lb. weight limit for his personal belongings, so he chose carefully.
When the former NFL star shoots into space, he’ll take along the 12 shell casings from the 12-gun salute performed at his fatherGene’s funeral, his Super Bowl XLII Ring, his Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence and two watches: a pocket watch that belonged to his maternal grandfather, and a rareDe Bethune DB28 Kind of Bluetimepiece with a celestial face and moon-phase function.
He’ll also bring up a pearl necklace from his girlfriend Kayla Quick’s late grandmother, his ABC and FOX employee ID cards and a lucky $2 bill.
Additionally, Blue Origin announced that a postcard from each astronaut flown on behalf of Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, will be along for the ride aboard the New Shepard.
The Club, whose mission is to help future generations pursue careers in STEM and improve the future of space travel, has a “Postcards to Space” program that gives students access to space on Blue Origin’s rockets, according toBlue Origin’s website.
Blue Origin
Why is Strahan going?
Strahanrevealed the out-of-this-world newsonGMAlast month, explaining that covering thefirst Blue Origin launchin July inspired him to join the December launch.
“Blue Origin, they approached me and they asked if I wanted to be a crew member. Without hesitation, I said yes,” Strahan said on the morning show. “I wanted to go to space. I think just being there, at the first launch, it really was mind-blowing.”
Strahan also noted that he hopes the trip will help advance the future of space travel.
“I believe that this is the way of being innovative, creative, pioneers in aviation, now space travel,” he said. “And it’s going to take a while but I do believe that it will bring a lot of technological breakthroughs and also innovations to us here on Earth, I just wanted to be a part of it.”
In honor of the occasion, the Michael Strahan brand teamed up with Blue Origin for a limited-editionpullover hoodie. The sweatshirt is currently sold out on Blue Origin’s website.
“Whether my New York Giants jersey, a concert t-shirt, or a suit for your wedding day, what we wear can help define significant moments in life. Not only does the clothing make you feel good in the moment, it ties to memories that live on,” Strahan said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “I am excited to be able to create this limited-edition collaboration with Blue Origin to not only commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime moment – but it gives fans of space travel the chance to share in this journey with me.”
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How can you watch?
Blue Origin will provide coverage of the NS-19 flight on theirwebsitethat day, starting 90 minutes before launch.
Strahan’s flight comes after another celebrity made history with a Blue Origin trip to space in October.William Shatnerbecame theoldest personto ever travel to space at 90 years old when he completed a Blue Origin mission on Oct. 13.
source: people.com
