The US’s first black trainee astronaut reaches space at 90

Available for over a year

In May 2024, 90-year-old Ed Dwight Jr. from Kansas City, Missouri travelled to the edge of space and set the record as the oldest ever astronaut. He was an honoured guest in the Blue Origin rocket. But his trip was 60 years overdue. In the 1960s Ed had been chosen by President John F Kennedy to be the first African-American astronaut at a time when racism was rife and segregation a reality. But JFK’s plans for Ed were scuppered – and Ed's dreams had to be put on hold. He spoke to Outlook's Jo Fidgen.