First Black Astronaut Candidate, Ed Dwight, Finally Going to Space

By
DWN
April 17, 2024
3
 minute read
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First Black Astronaut Candidate, Ed Dwight, Finally Going to Space

By
DWN
May 17, 2024
5 min read
Share this post

Dwight is a Denver entrepreneur, bronze sculptor, historian, author, and former Air Force test pilot. He was also America’s First African American Astronaut candidate.Blue Origin is billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company which provides suborbital space tourism to citizens.

The mission, known as NS-25, will lift off from Blue Origin’s West Texas site during a window that opens at 9:30 a.m. EDT, 8:30 a.m. local time in West Texas). Blue Origin will livestream the launch. Coverage will begin at 8:50 a.m. EDT. It’s been 63 years since Ed Dwight trained as an astronaut; however, he continues to be a true embodiment of the spirit of the Space for Humanity Citizen Astronaut Program. Dwight’s journey will go down in history. “It’s a privilege for Space for Humanity to support his voyage to space. Our mission to democratize space resonates with his journey, showcasing the courage and dedication we strive to elevate to new heights. We’re thrilled to be part of this monumental moment in space history,” expressed Antonio Peronace, Executive Director of Space for Humanity.

The recent documentary “The Space Race” featured Ed Dwight, who was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the United States’ first Black astronaut candidate. However, he was never given the opportunity to fly to space. Now, at 90 years old, Ed Dwight will finally travel to space. Reflecting on the upcoming launch, Executive Producer and retired NASA astronaut Leland Melvin said: “For the past year, while screening Ed’s story in the documentary, ‘The Space Race,’ I got emotional every time I saw his disappointment when he was removed from the Astronaut Training Program. I’m very excited that Ed will get his chance to break the surly bonds of our home planet.

Thanks, Space for Humanity, for helping make Ed’s journey to Space a reality, and for creating access to space for All. Godspeed Ed and crew." Denver Venture Capitalist Mason Angel, a member of the Space for Humanity Vision Circle, is also part of Ed’s crew. Together, they will have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of the Overview Effect and inspire the next generation of Citizen Astronauts. Space for Humanity is a globally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to increase access to space for people worldwide and change Humanity’s perspective on our place in the universe. The organization operates a Citizen Astronaut Program that selects individuals from diverse backgrounds to go to space and experience the “Overview Effect,” a profound shift in awareness that occurs when viewing Earth from space. To learn more about Space for Humanity’s work please visit https://spaceforhumanity.org/donate.

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