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Maryland High School Alumna To Take Blue Origin Flight To Space With William Shatner

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Aerospace company Blue Origin, founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, is sending four people into a suborbital joyride Wednesday morning.

Most notable among the passengers is William Shatner, best known for his role as Captain Kirk in "Star Trek." At 90, he is set to be the oldest person ever to go to space.

But there's another prominent passenger boarding New Shepard NS-18, one with local ties.

Audrey Powers is Blue Origin's vice president of mission and flight operations. She is a 1994 graduate of Mount De Sales, a private, all-girls secondary school in Catonsville.

According to Blue Origin's website, she played a lead role in certifying New Shephard for human flight.

In a show of pride for their alumna, the Baltimore County school is holding a watch party of the launch.

Chris Boshuizen, a co-founder of satellite company Planet Labs, and software executive Glen de Vries, are paying customers joining Shatner and Powers.

CBSN Baltimore will stream the launch and watch party live at 9:55 a.m.

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