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Rochesterian talks space travel, a future beyond Earth, and weightlessness

Aaron Newman with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Friday, October 13, 2025
Mari Tsuchiya
/
WXXI
Aaron Newman with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Friday, October 13, 2025
A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.
WXXI News

“We all know we need to take care of this earth, but we also need to be prepared to reach beyond it.”

That’s what Rochester-based entrepreneur Aaron Newman said to reporters after returning to solid ground, following his Blue Origin flight last week.

Newman became the 717th human to pass the Karman Line.

He says his trip was about more than exclusive space tourism, and he wants this experience open to everyone.

We discuss how to do it with our guest:

Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Elissa Orlando is a producer for “Connections with Evan Dawson.” She returns part-time to WXXI News after stepping back from a long career in public media and in translational science.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.