Thread by @thesheetztweetz

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is set to launch its second crewed spaceflight this morning – carrying William Shatner, Audrey Powers, Chris Boshuizen, and Glen de Vries.

Watch the livestream here:
cnbc.com/2021/10/13/wat…

The #NS18 crew of four arrived at Blue Origin's astronaut training center earlier this morning to get in their flight suits and prepare to launch:

cnbc.com/2021/10/13/wat…

Blue Origin senior director of New Shepard safety Andrew Lake says there are "a lot of people" at the company that would want to fly on New Shepard, including himself.

Blue Origin's @arianecornell says Jeff Bezos will travel with the #NS18 crew during the "astronaut loading process," escorting them up the tower and to New Shepard's capsule.

@arianecornell "Crew Member 7" Sarah Knights presents the #NS18 crew with a challenge coin, which is awarded for completing pre-flight training.

@arianecornell Shatner jokes, after receiving his coin: "Heads we go, tails we don't"

#NS18 is in a hold at T-45:01, no reason given by Blue Origin yet.

Blue Origin's @arianecornell says the #NS18 hold comes as "we want to make sure that our team" is ready and "that the winds are in bounds," noting that the wind has been "gusty" the last couple of days.

Now past 15 minutes into the hold for #NS18 at T-45 minutes to liftoff

Blue Origin's Cornell says the hold is because the New Shepard "team is working on the vehicle readiness."

"We've got a couple of items that we're ticking off here."

#NS18

#NS18 hold now 20 minutes and counting

An update from mission control appeared to begin to play over the PA system on site around 22 minutes into the hold, but Blue Origin then lowered the volume on the livestream so it wasn't audible. #NS18

A couple minutes later, Cornell says the hold is continuing to "make sure that our rocket is ready to go to space."

"Otherwise, everything else is looking good." #NS18

Blue Origin #NS18 now 30 minutes into the hold, effectively pushing liftoff past 10:30 a.m. ET.

The #NS18 countdown has resumed, with the hold now ended.

Cornell: "We are go for astronaut load" into the capsule #NS18

Bezos drives the #NS18 crew out to the launchpad

Shatner et al getting a look at New Shepard on the launchpad

#NS18 launchpad photo op

The crew are now climbing the launch tower #NS18

Cornell: "To all the Trekkies out there who are joining us, thank you so much. It is a pleasure and an honor to be sending Captain Kirk to space today."

#NS18

Bezos is still with the #NS18 crew as they prepare to board the capsule

Glen de Vries (@CaptainClinical) is the first to board New Shepard #NS18

@CaptainClinical .@WilliamShatner boards the #NS18 capsule

@CaptainClinical @WilliamShatner Bezos gives @AudreyKPowers a handshake and huge before she also boards New Shepard

After a communications check, #NS18 mission control tells the crew that they are "going to see Jeff in just a moment."

As much as Bezos seemed to want to join today's spaceflight, he exits the capsule after helping strap in the crew and closes the hatch #NS18

Another hold begins for #NS18 at T-15 minutes

#NS18 mission control reads surprise messages from the NS-16 crew:

@OliverDaemen: "I can assure you that it will be better than your best imagination."

Wally Funk: "I hope this flight will be the most fantastic experience of your life, as it was mine."

@OliverDaemen Mark Bezos: "You lucky bastards ... the depth of my desire to fly again is hard to express."

Currently just over 150,000 people watching Blue Origin's #NS18 livestream, per YouTube.

Now 15 minutes into the latest #NS18 hold, at T-15 minutes to liftoff

No word yet from Blue Origin on the reason for the T-15 hold.

Blue Origin's Cornell, 18 minutes into the T-15 hold, says the "weather looks good" but that the company is "continuing to make sure that the rest of our teams are aligned." No specific cause for the hold given.

Blue Origin ends the hold and resumes the #NS18 countdown. Now under 15 minutes to liftoff.

#NS18 mission control polls the New Shepard teams: All go for launch.

5 minutes to #NS18 liftoff.

The launch tower gantry retracts #NS18