William Shatner has given Gayle King some advice about space travel ahead of her trip alongside Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez.

William Shatner didn’t hold back when Gayle King asked for advice about going to space.

The Star Trek actor, who became the oldest person to fly to space in 2021 with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, appeared on CBS Mornings Thursday to talk with King about her upcoming trip. “Embrace the adventure,” Shatner said during a video chat, adding “Take control of your emotions.”

“You’re lying there waiting to take off — that’s the most exciting moment of all, because the G-forces that are going to be on you,” he explained. “You’re going to think, ‘I’m going to die.’ But you’re not going to die, Gayle! You’re on an adventure!”

King couldn’t hide her reaction, saying, “You are scaring the beep out of me now!” she said with a laugh. Shatner kept on going.

“Gayle, say a mantra! Say something,” he advised. “When I was lying there and aware the hydrogen was being poured into the ship, and the Hindenburg had burned with hydrogen, I’m thinking, ‘What’s going to be?’ The guy says over the earphones—”

William Shatner gave Gayle King advice about space. (Image: CBS)
King cut him off: “This is soo not helpful!”

Still, she asked, “Were you nervous?”

“Yes!” Shatner admitted. “The nitrogen! And going up! The G’s! That’s frightening, girl! But embrace the adventure, embrace it. You’re on an exciting trip that you’ll never do again. You’re going to live through it and you’ll be fine.”

He added: “It’s the adventure of a lifetime and you’re going to see the world like nobody… only 600 people have seen it and you’re going to see it.”

That seemed to land better with King, who shared that she’s been meditating to stay extra calm. She also asked what floating in zero gravity felt like.

“There are no words in the English language to explain what weightlessness is like,” Shatner said. “It is the strangest feeling. Nothing is like it, not swimming in a pool where they have the exercise, the astronauts. That’s what you’re going to practice for days on end and you know what, no matter how much you practice, you can’t imitate it.”

He offered one last piece of advice: head to the window.

“For me, I wanted to see outside so I didn’t hover around,” he said. “I went to the window to take a look out the window and I advise you to do that because the voyage is over so quickly.”

Then, as the segment was ending, he dropped a final surprise.