On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to enter space and orbit our planet. On Oct. 13, 2021, Canadian actor William “Captain Kirk” Shatner became the latest human to do the same. That’s right, we’ve reached the point in human history at which celebrities and the super-rich are taking 10-minute tours of the stratosphere. So, with trips to the edge of space becoming commonplace, who’s next? What celebrity or noted public figure should get to be the next human to boldly go? We here at Granite 550 have compiled a list of notable humans who we feel should get the chance to see our big blue rock from the outside.

Neil deGrasse Tyson & Bill Nye

The first on the list is a combo deal. Noted astrophysicist Stephen Hawking – a man who spent much of his life translating the complexities of time and space into digestible knowledge for the masses – never got to take his own trip into space before his death in 2018. So it seems only fitting that his friends Neil and Bill, who’ve also spent much of their lives making science exciting and fun, should also get a chance at the ultimate trip. 

Mark Hamill

From one noted science fiction star to another, Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, has clocked a ton of hours inside the cockpit of his X-Wing Fighter, making him more than ready to tackle a 10-minute journey to the stars.  

The Top 10 Finalists for the Global Teacher Prize 2021

On Jan. 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded while launching into space. Among the seven astronauts who lost their lives was Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher selected from over 11,000 applicants to join NASA’s Teacher in Space Project. These 10 phenomenal educators should absolutely have the opportunity to follow in their colleges’ footsteps and fulfill her mission to relay the experience of space to a new generation of potential explorers.               

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