William Shatner, TV's Capt. Kirk, blasts into space

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) -- Hollywood's Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, blasted into space Wednesday in a convergence of science fiction and science reality, reaching the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company. The "Star Trek" hero and three fellow passengers hurtled to an estimated 66 miles (106 kilometers) over the West Texas desert in the fully automated capsule, then safely parachuted back to Earth in a flight that lasted just over 10 minutes. "You have done something," an exhilarated Shatner told Bezos as he emerged from the capsule, the words spilling from him in a torrent. "What you have given me is the most profound experience." He added: "I hope I never recover from this."