Gayle King’s Upcoming Journey to Space: A Bold New Frontier!

The upcoming mission will mark a significant milestone, featuring the first all-women space crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 solo spaceflight.

As part of this groundbreaking event, Gayle King will embark on her journey to space on Monday morning. She will be joined by popstar Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, as they prepare to launch aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard.

This historic flight, named NS-31, is expected to lift off from Launch Site One in West Texas, part of Blue Origin’s 11th human journey into space. The launch window is set to open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

For those wishing to witness the launch, Blue Origin plans to stream the event live on its website. Although the exact start time for the webcast hasn’t been disclosed, live coverage will begin at 8 a.m. ET on Blue Origin’s X page. CBS will also provide extensive coverage, kicking off with “CBS Mornings” at 7 a.m. ET, leading into a special segment focused on King’s space journey.

Accompanying King on this mission are Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, along with Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist, research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and movie producer Kerianne Flynn. Sanchez selected this all-female crew, underscoring the mission’s pioneering spirit.

Since 2021, Blue Origin has facilitated short spaceflights for tourists, beginning with Bezos and his brother on the inaugural trip. Recent efforts have invited both paying customers and guests who received free rides. Details regarding the funding for Monday’s flight remain unclear, as the company has not disclosed who is covering the costs.

The upcoming voyage has received mixed reactions, with actor Olivia Munn expressing concern over its cost and publicity implications. However, Perry emphasizes the historical importance of an all-women crew, noting that only 14% of those who have traveled to space have been women.