Prince William: Before travelling to space, save the planet
ABC News
Prince William has criticized some of the world’s richest men for using their wealth to fund a new space race and space tourism, and called on the world's great minds to fix the planet first
LONDON -- Britain's Prince William has criticized some of the world's richest men for using their wealth to fund a new space race and space tourism rather than trying to fix the problems on Earth instead.
William voiced his disapproval in an interview with the BBC aired Thursday, a day after the former “Star Trek” actor William Shatner became the oldest man to fly to space, in a rocket funded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
“We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live," said William, who is second-in-line to the British throne.
On Wednesday, the 90-year-old Shatner, who is best known for playing Captain James T. Kirk in the 1960s television series “Star Trek,” briefly flew into space with Bezos’ space travel company, Blue Origin. Billionaires Elon Musk and Richard Branson are also pumping resources into their own space ambitions.
