Blue Origin rocket carries first Black astronaut candidate into space

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket lifted off Sunday, carrying the oldest man ever to go into space. Ed Dwight, 90, trained to become NASA's first Black astronaut candidate 60 years ago, but he didn't get to fly then.
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[@Papershields001]

I’m so happy that he’s finally gotten to fly. Richly deserved after such a long historic career.

[@fustigate314159]

Jeff Amazon...

[@VEGANSAM]

It's about time... But what a racist world...

[@JamesOberg]

So what exactly did NASA do wrong in 1963?

[@VEGANSAM]

@@JamesOberg If you can't figure it out even after watching this report...you never will.

[@JamesOberg]

@@VEGANSAM == Afraid to answer like a grown-up? No. I retract that nasty response and ask for a constructive debate. Should NASA have given Dwight a 'pass' on where he didn't meet basic criteria, such as being tall enough to see out the pilot window in the Apollo Lunar Module?

[@VEGANSAM]

@@JamesOberg To answer your first question, no, there was nothing 'grown up' about your 'question'...but it definitely ooozed 'Racist Trumplican', & there's no way to have a 'grown up', 'logical', or 'intelligent' discussion with such a creature. As for your new claim, it's based on something I'd never heard, & wasn't mentioned in the report (& you didn't bother stating for some reason), so I just spent time researching it, looking for anything that specifies the minimum height for an astronaut in the 60s, & I found nothing...except that they had to be under 5' 11'. Period. So...James, where did you get this 'window' thing?

[@JamesOberg]

@@VEGANSAM == So what do you imagine NASA =SHOULD= have done in 1963, about Dwight's candidacy for astronaut selection, that they decided not to?

[@alexthompson9516]

Ed Dwight was not prevented from becoming an astronaut by racism. As Chuck Yeager repeatedly pointed out, he lacked the talent and ability to be an astronaut.

[@annzeeg4217]

Seriously like a white man born into that climate wouldn't hold any bias. I guess Kennedy's boy was a term of endearment. It took ten years to convince those people that it was ok for a non white person to sit anywhere on a bus 🙄

[@629Justme]

But you have to understand his comment in the perspective of the times. Chuck Yeager the most prominent pilot if the tines, 1st to break the sound barrier while tending to a near broken arm himself would be the best person to "de-racistify" the change after Kennedy got assassinated. I bet you'd agree that had Kennedy still been around that Dwight would had been the first and ways to get him fully trained - if really needed - been found. Don't forgot, he made it to the short list(npi) In the right stuff, he would have been the guy still exhaling proving his lung capacity. Final decision was then political and Kennedy wasn't around.

[@JamesOberg]

@@629Justme == The Kennedy White House unwittingly sabotaged Dwight's USAF [not NASA] training by demanding he take three-day weekends touring the country giving speeches when all other students studied 7/week. He would up rating 8th of 16 in the Edwards AFB class and NASA chose #1 and #2, what was unfair about that?

[@VEGANSAM]

And the founding fathers claimed they owned non-whites & used them as their slaves, because they were '2/3 human'. Alex, I bet you believe them too...don't you.

[@JamesOberg]

@@629Justme " I bet you'd agree that had Kennedy still been around that Dwight would had been the first and ways to get him fully trained - if really needed - been found." == Actually it was White House pressure [nobody has ever shown records that JFK was in any way involved] that seriously damaged Dwight's training as an 'aerospace research pilot' [NOT 'astronaut'] by demanding Dwight take 3-day weekends away from the base, giving speeches across the country.

[@Clovisbill]

Why is everything about black and white, plus this 10 minute 250k ride is not space travel 🤔

[@anthonygordon9483]

Yeah its not space travel. Its more like sub orbit. But your still in space because you escape the earths gravity momentarily.

[@629Justme]

It is and isn't. Delayed achievement that " eugenics" would say isn't possible. Even though eugenics is on the same list as piltdown man, many still live as if African Americans wouldn't be able to do so. The first at many things get noticed and recognized. First black man but held up for 60 years is a news story. And yes. Its because he is the first - Orville, Wilbur, Yeager, Edison, Tesla, Armstrong, transistor, computer....etc.

[@629Justme]

Wasn't stated to be space travel. Tourist ride into space orbit for the duration mentioned. Not a professional trip into orbit, for the duration you speak of, that isn't reasonably possible for any civilian today. Its the best that's possible this year or so until 2001 a space odyssey becomes reality we position it as space flight.

[@VEGANSAM]

Really?...this being racist makes 'EVERYTHING about black & white'?! Are you that myopic?!

[@ambernsmith7641]

It would be nice if we did not have to make these distinctions, however, racism, discrimination and prejudice are still alive and well. We are still making firsts in many areas when it comes to Black people which is just crazy. Our country would be so much further if racism did not exist. Also, can you please take your negativity elsewhere? If you have never lived in Black skin or ever dealt with any isms then this comment is just ignorant.