Jonathan Allen and David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) –William Shatner will launch a rocket made by Blue Origin Space Company, billionaire Jeff Bezos, to reach the edge of space next week.

Shatner is best-known for his role as Captain Kirk on “Star Trek”, the television series. He will join a crew of four aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard launch vehicle, the company announced on Monday.

Blue Origin issued a statement saying that Shatner (90) has heard of space “for a while now.” I’m excited to experience it myself. This is a miracle.

Bezos, founder of Amazon (NASDAQ) flew 66.5 mi (107 km), above Texas, aboard a New Shepard launch car and returned safely home.

Blue Origin stated that Wally Funk, the pioneering woman pilot and aviator who joined Bezos’ July flight, was the oldest person in space. Shatner will break this record.

Blue Origin has invited the actor to fly as its guest. But, Blue Origin says that they have sold almost $100 million worth of tickets to customers who pay, although it is not able say how many.

Chris Boshuizen, an ex-NASA engineer, Glen de Vries and Audrey Powers will join Shatner as they discuss the future of clinical research. At the time, it was unclear if these were Star Trek-loving fans.

Blue Origin was founded by Bezos in 2000. New Shepard hurled at speeds exceeding 2,233 miles (3.595 km/h) and crossing the Karman Line, which was 62 miles (100km) up straight up. It was established by an international aeronautics group to mark the boundaries between Earth’s atmospherics and outer space.

In 1966, Shatner played Captain James T. Kirk’s role in the television series that NASA astronauts credit with sparking their interest in space. The role was also taken on in seven feature movies.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that it will review safety concerns raised in recent and past Blue Origin employees. They claimed the company often prioritizes speed and cost reduction over proper resourcing to assure quality.

Blue Origin stated that it investigates all misconduct claims raised by employees promptly and stands by its safety record.