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Michael Strahan will launch into space on a Blue Origin rocket next month

GMA anchor/ex-NFLer will lift off Dec. 9
Michael Strahan
Posted at 9:43 AM, Nov 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-23 09:43:20-05

NEW YORK — Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan will be among the crew on Blue Origin's next flight to space.

Strahan, who just turned 50 on Sunday, shared details of his preparations for the Dec. 9 flight during a segment Tuesday on Good Morning America. The footage included Strahan being outfitted for his spacesuit and testing out flight seats.

Strahan said on GMA that he was approached by Blue Origin and was asked if he'd like to fly during an upcoming mission.

"Without hesitation, I said yes," Strahan said.

The company said Tuesday that Strahan would join Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of astronaut Alan Shepard, on the flight.

The flight will also include four paying customers: space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor, investor Evan Dick, Bess Ventures founder Lane Bess, and Cameron Bess.

This will be New Shepard's third human flight this year and the first of its flights to carry six astronauts to space.

Previously, Blue Origin rockets have carried company founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos and "Star Trek" actor William Shatner into space.

The Dec. 9 launch is just the latest in what has proven to be a landmark year for private space travel. Virgin Galactic sent billionaire founder Richard Branson into space earlier this year, and Elon Musk's SpaceX has conducted several human flights in partnership with NASA.