Actor William Shatner Visits Chicago Area Days After Space Voyage

Speaking to Bezos after touching down to Earth, an emotional Shatner called it the "most profound experience I can imagine."

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Just days after becoming the oldest person to ever reach space, actor William Shatner stopped in Rosemont where he spoke at the Wizard World Comic Con.

The 90-year-old Star Trek actor spoke on a 45-minute panel, greeted fans, posed for photos and signed autographs at the , according to event organizers.

In a convergence of science fiction and reality, Shatner, Hollywood's Captain Kirk, blasted into space Wednesday, reaching the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company.

The “Star Trek” hero and three fellow passengers soared to an estimated 66 miles (106 kilometers) over the West Texas desert in the fully automated capsule and then safely parachuted to the desert floor in a flight that lasted just over 10 minutes.

Shatner became the oldest person in space, eclipsing the previous record — set by a passenger on a similar jaunt on a Bezos spaceship in July — by eight years.

“It was so moving, it did something unbelievable to me,” Shatner said.

Speaking to Bezos after touching down to Earth, an emotional Shatner called it the "most profound experience I can imagine."

The actor marveled at the fragility of the atmosphere, noting "the air keeping us alive is thinner than your skin. It's negligible." He told Bezos that "everyone needs to see this."

NBC Chicago/Associated Press
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