--- title: "George Takei Slams William Shatner, Says He Didn’t Really Go to Space" description: "\"Star Trek\" actor George Takei has aimed his sights at co-star William Shatner yet again, saying he did not in fact go into outer space." date: "2023-01-20" modified: "2023-01-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/george-takei-slams-william-shatner-didnt-go-to-space" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "blue origin" - "george takei" - "the digest" - "william shatner" --- # George Takei Slams William Shatner, Says He Didn’t Really Go to Space !["Star Trek" actor George Takei has aimed his sights at co-star William Shatner yet again, saying he did not in fact go into outer space.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Billionaire Joyride "Star Trek" actor George Takei has aimed his sights at former co-star and James Kirk actor William Shatner yet again, [telling UK tabloid *The Mirror*]() that the latter elder television star did not in fact go into outer space. It's true that Shatner rode Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket [to an altitude of 66.5 miles]() back in 2021, which is technically above the Karman line, the arbitrarily chosen boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and space — but hundreds of miles short of being able to achieve a stable orbit. In other words, it was a simple joyride to the farthest reaches of our planet's stratosphere where one can easily see the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space. A long shot from the kind of space travel being done by actual astronauts, in other words, but great fodder for a potshot from a longtime rival. "Well, he wasn’t really in outer space and it wasn’t for very long," Takei told *The Mirror*. "I’ve also been in zero gravity but I did it for longer," he added. "I took a parabolic flight and experienced five minutes of weightlessness, whereas William only experienced three minutes. So I’ve spent more time in zero gravity than him." ## Ancient Beef Takei and Shatner's beef goes back [decades](). The two have repeatedly butted heads over the years, with Takei calling Shatner a "[cantankerous old man]()" and an "[egocentric, self-involved prima donna]()." In 2021, Takei [also took a swipe]() at Shatner for his rocket ride. "So 90-years-old is going to show a great deal more on the wear and tear on the human body, so he’ll be a good specimen to study," he joked in another [tabloid interview]() at the time. "He’s boldly going where other people have gone before." In his latest remarks, though, Takei may have a point. Plenty of critics have argued that Jeff Bezos' space venture doesn't exactly amount to spacefaring — and [the same goes]() for Virgin Galactic's competing spaceplane service as well. Shatner experienced weightlessness for several minutes as the company's rocket plummeted back to the ground, something that can be simulated inside "[vomit comet]()" airplanes that fly in parabolic maneuvers to allow passengers to experience weightlessness. In short, Blue Origin's capsule has yet to come even close to actual orbit — an exciting rollercoaster ride for the few who can afford a ticket, but not much more. **More on the spat:** *[George Takei Roasts "Star Trek" Costar William Shatner]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()