Blue Origin Launches New First All-Female Crew to Space

On Monday, Blue Origin sent its first all-female crew into space aboard the New Shepard rocket.

The six-member team featured his fiancée Lauren Sánchez, singer Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.

The mission, designated NS-31, marked Blue Origin’s eleventh crewed flight and its thirty-first launch overall.

The rocket carried the crew past the Kármán line, 62 miles above Earth, where they experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before safely landing in a capsule using three parachutes.

After the capsule landed, Jeff Bezos opened the door and embraced a tearful Lauren Sánchez, who reflected on the view from space, “Earth looked so — it was so quiet. It was just quiet,” she stated.

Reflecting on the journey, Aisha Bowe added, “I will never be the same. There’s no boundaries, no border. There’s just Earth.”

Katy Perry’s daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, watched proudly in her astronaut costume as her mom returned from space. As a tribute, Perry brought a small daisy with her and held it up to the sky after exiting the capsule.

After landing, Perry shared her feelings with reporters, “This experience is second to being a mom. That’s why it was hard for me to go because all my love is with them, and I had to surrender and trust the universe to take care of me, my family, and my daughter.”

She continued,”I feel so fulfilled by the gift of being a mom, and going to space is incredible. I wanted to show courage, worthiness, and fearlessness.”

The launch drew VIPs to West Texas, including Oprah Winfrey and several women who had flown on private space missions before. Winfrey, a close friend of Gayle King, was seen wiping away tears as the capsule reached space, with the passengers expressing their awe at the moon and shouting in excitement.

This groundbreaking mission not only marked a historic achievement for Blue Origin but also symbolized a powerful moment of inspiration and empowerment.

As these trailblazing women boldly journeyed into space, they broke barriers and demonstrated that the possibilities for women in aerospace are limitless.

Their journey serves as a reminder that courage, determination, and unity can take us to new heights, both literally and figuratively, showing the world that the sky is no longer the limit.