William Shatner’s fifteen minute trip into Earth orbit aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Space Capsule fuses the fictionality and legacy of Star Trek with the reality of experiencing actual space flight through his alter ego, if you will, Captain James Tiberius Kirk, through all those professional scientists, doctors, engineers, aerodynamic designers, artists, writers, teachers, and astronauts encouraged by the series. William Shatner and Captain Kirk took us all with them. We are the better for it.

Cover Image: drawing by Helmut Eppich. Mr. Spock and Captain James T. Kirk.

by Helmut Eppich

An amazing story of the beginning of one classic, believable, scientifically based, intelligent, science fiction television series that became part of popular culture, and inspired scientists, astronomers, engineers, doctors, computer designers and technicians to enter their respective fields.