Van Horn, Texas — Kehinde, cultural celebrity Katy Perry and veteran journalist Gayle King joined an all-female crew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a historic spaceflight on Monday morning. The flight, which lasted just over 10 minutes, marked the first all-female space mission since 1963 when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova orbited the Earth.
The six women launched from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas at 9:30 a.m. EDT, capturing the attention of millions around the world. The mission aimed to inspire future generations, especially young girls, to see space as an achievable frontier.
During the flight, the crew reached an altitude of 62 miles above the Earth’s surface, crossing the Kármán line, which is widely recognized as the boundary of space. Gayle King shared her emotions post-flight, saying, “And you look down at the planet, you think that’s where we came from. And to me, it’s such a reminder about how we need to do better.” She indicated that experiencing weightlessness was both thrilling and a catalyst for personal reflection.
Katy Perry added a musical touch to the journey, singing “What a Wonderful World” as the capsule floated in space. Although urged by her crew members to sing one of her popular songs, she insisted that the moment was not about her.
The New Shepard rocket, designed for autonomous travel, is a fully reusable suborbital vehicle that allows for a comfortable experience with individual windows for each passenger. Prior to their mission, Lauren Sánchez, who is also a crew member, reflected, “I feel grateful and grounded and honored to be invited with this incredible group of women.”
The mission drew a star-studded crowd of supporters, including Oprah Winfrey, who expressed pride and excitement watching her friend Gayle King embark on her flight. Winfrey noted the significance of the journey as cathartic for King, who had faced her fears of flying.
Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn rounded out the talented crew, with each sharing personal resonances of the experience. Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist, articulated her hopes for women in aerospace, saying, “This is our time.” Amanda Nguyen carried a hospital wristband as a zero-gravity indicator, while Flynn described her emotional response to this historic flight.
The mission also signifies a critical moment in space travel, as only 14% of astronauts to date have been women. Perry expressed the importance of this milestone, declaring, “It’s an important moment for the future of commercial space travel and for humanity in general and for women all around.”
The spacecraft launched smoothly, with the booster performing a controlled landing back at the pad after separation. The crew’s touching down in the Texas desert culminated a journey facilitated by weeks of anticipation and meticulous preparation. A sonic boom marked the return of the booster, embodying the thrill of one of the most famous space missions in recent history.
As recovery crews approached the capsule, Bezos himself was present, eagerly waiting to greet the newly minted astronauts. Excitement was palpable among the crew’s friends and family, including Khloé Kardashian, who found herself energized by the experience, voicing, “It’s incredible. It takes your breath away.”
Overall, this flight serves not just as a technical achievement but as a beacon for future generations, emphasizing that space is a playground accessible to all, especially women.
