Pictured: William Shatner and three people who are about to die.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Pictured: William Shatner and three people who are about to die.

Link to tweet

As someone explains later in the thread, the colors of the uniforms have been altered for comedic effect.

[JohnSJ]

1. I don't find Weigel's comment very funny

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Have you ever seen Star Trek? NT

[AleksS]

3. In Star Trek lore, when you go on a mission

in a red uniform, you are very likely to die. Their uniforms were altered to be red and have the Star Trek Federation insignia on them so it’s playing into that joke. (Because William Shatner famously played a starship captain on Star Trek, and will be going on a mission to space with those other people.)

Wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirt_(stock_character)

[JohnSJ]

5. Thanks. That is funny. Never paid attention to that

[CurtEastPoint]

6. Neither did I. Not everyone knows all these inside jokes

[JohnSJ]

7. I am glad Alekes explained it above

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. There's a thread on this already. Please respond there.

I hadn't noticed it. Nevilledog started it last night.

It's not looking good for the astronauts accompanying Shatner.

[Srkdqltr]

8. I get the joke.

If this was a TV show (pretend) it would be funny, but as they are really going up in reality it's not quite so funny.

[VGNonly]

9. Whats worse?

being a red shirted trek crewman or an anonymous henchman in a Bond film

[Patton French]

10. It took a second to dawn on me.

Kind of clever, but in serious bad taste before the flight. He should have posted after the flight was successful.

[madinmaryland]

11. At least they weren't wearing red hats!