Blue Origin’s upcoming New Shepard-25 mission is poised to mark a monumental occasion as former Air Force Captain and Kansas City native Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate in the U.S., is set to embark on this historic journey, according to AfroTech. Decades after being denied the opportunity to fly to space, Dwight’s inclusion in the crew for this mission symbolizes a remarkable full-circle moment in his storied career.
Dwight’s seat aboard New Shepard-25 is sponsored by the nonprofit Space for Humanity and the Jaison and Jamie Robinson Foundation. His illustrious career has seen him transition from entrepreneurship to sculpting monuments honoring Black historical figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman, with over 130 of his works showcased in museums across the U.S. and Canada.
Selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the inaugural Black astronaut candidate, Dwight’s journey to space was thwarted despite completing the Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) and earning a recommendation from the U.S. Air Force. Now, with Blue Origin’s invitation, Dwight is poised to realize his long-awaited dream of space travel.
Read the source article at Black Enterprise
