Katy Perry and Gayle King Poised for Historic All-Female Spaceflight Launch After 60 Years

Blue Origin is set to launch its latest mission, featuring an all-female crew, on Monday morning. This marks the company’s 11th mission into space.

Prominent figures including pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, and Lauren Sanchez—fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—will embark on the journey aboard the New Shepard rocket. The flight is scheduled for a brief 10-minute excursion from West Texas.

The launch window is expected to open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time at Launch Site One. This flight, designated as NS-31, continues Blue Origin’s tradition of short space trips for tourists, which started in 2021.

Sanchez, who is both a helicopter pilot and a former television journalist, played a pivotal role in curating this all-female team. Alongside her are civil engineer Aisha Bowe, research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and movie producer Kerianne Flynn.

Since its inaugural flight with Jeff Bezos and his brother, Blue Origin has offered both complimentary and paid seats to various space travelers. However, the company has yet to disclose who is financing the upcoming journey.

Despite excitement surrounding the flight, it has drawn criticism. Some, including actress Olivia Munn, have pointed out the mission’s financial implications. Nonetheless, Katy Perry emphasizes the significance of an all-women crew, marking a historic achievement since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963. Notably, only 14% of all astronauts in space have been women.

As this groundbreaking mission approaches, the anticipation is palpable, with many hoping it will inspire a new generation of female explorers.