Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate in the US, made history at 90 by venturing into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.
In a historic achievement that marks a significant milestone in space exploration, Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate in the United States, has finally traveled to space.
On May 20, 2024, at the age of 90, Dwight was part of a six-person crew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, which ascended to the Kármán line—The 62-mile-high barrier between the Earth's atmosphere and space.
Ed Dwight’s story is one of perseverance and resilience: Born in 1933 in Kansas City, Kansas, he became a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and earned a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1957.
In 1961, President Kennedy selected him as an astronaut candidate, but despite being recommended by the Air Force, he was not chosen for NASA’s astronaut program.
