UPDATED with delay news: Blue Origin said Thursday night that it has delayed the launch of its 20th mission, which was scheduled to take place March 23. The shift, the company said, means SNL‘s Pete Davidson “is no longer able to join the NS-20 crew on this mission.”
No reason was immediately given for him being left off the roster of six passengers, who earlier in the week were announced as having seats on the flight on New Shepard, which had previously taken fellow entertainers William Shatner and Michael Strahan to space. Passengers on the commercial space flight reach an altitude of about 65 miles, with travelers experiencing four minutes of weightlessness before descending.
The new NS-20 launch date is Tuesday, March 29, when it will be the fourth to include a human crew. The Jeff Bezos-run space company said a sixth crew member will be selected in the coming days.
Blue Origin’s 20th flight of New Shepard has shifted to Tuesday, March 29. Pete Davidson is no longer able to join the NS-20 crew on this mission. We will announce the sixth crew member in the coming days.
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) March 18, 2022
PREVIOUSLY, March 14 AM: It’s official: Saturday Night Live‘s Pete Davidson is heading to space.
Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company, announced Monday that the SNL comic will be among the crew of the New Shepard flight scheduled for a March 23 liftoff. Davidson follows fellow entertainers William Shatner and Michael Strahan in the roster of Blue Origin passengers.
In addition to Davidson, the March 23 flight — which will reach an altitude of about 65 miles, with passengers experiencing four minutes of weightlessness — will include Party America CEO Marty Allen; Commercial Space Technologies president Dr. George Nield; Sharon Hagle, founder of the nonprofit SpaceKids Global, and husband philanthropist and real estate mogul Marc Hagle, CEO of real estate concern Tricor International; and Jim Kitchen, a University of North Carolina professor.
The flight will be the 20th for Blue Origin’s New Shepard program, and the fourth to include a human crew. Liftoff is targeted for 8:30 a.m. CT on March 23.
#NewShepard mission #NS20 will include Marty Allen, @NBCSNL’s Pete Davidson, @SharonHagle, Marc Hagle, @JimKitchen, and @DrGeorgeNield. Liftoff on March 23 is targeted for 8:30 am CDT / 13:30 UTC from Launch Site One. Read more 🚀: https://t.co/z8jXdnA9n4 pic.twitter.com/a2zIdCf2Mt
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) March 14, 2022