Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez to Join Blue Origin’s Historic All-Woman Spaceflight
A star-studded, all-female crew is set to launch into space this spring aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez will join three other accomplished women on the company’s 11th crewed mission, marking a historic moment in commercial space travel.
Alongside CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, pop superstar Katy Perry, and business mogul Lauren Sánchez, the mission will also include:
Aisha Bowe – Former NASA rocket scientist and tech entrepreneur
Amanda Nguyen – Civil rights activist and bioastronautics researcher
Kerianne Flynn – Film producer and aerospace advocate
This will be Blue Origin’s first fully female crew, a milestone in spaceflight history.
King, 70, humorously announced her journey on "CBS Mornings" with a "Star Wars"-style opening crawl. She admitted that at first, she turned down the opportunity, saying:
“I'm so afraid, but I'm also so excited about it. When they asked me around Thanksgiving, I was like, 'No, no, no.' Then I started thinking about it... And I just thought, what a unique opportunity.”
Now, she’s ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
The New Shepard flight, which launched its 10th successful crewed mission just this week, is a suborbital journey lasting about 11 minutes. Here’s what the six women can expect:
Altitude: 100 km (62 miles) above Earth—crossing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
Experience: A few minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth from space.
Landing: A parachute-assisted descent for a safe touchdown in West Texas.
Blue Origin’s Spaceflight Legacy
New Shepard is named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space. Notable past passengers include:
Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin’s founder)
William Shatner (Star Trek legend)
Michael Strahan (NFL Hall of Famer & TV personality)
Laura Shepard Churchley (Alan Shepard’s daughter)
The company paused flights for two years after an uncrewed rocket booster crashed in 2022, but it has now resumed missions.
Blue Origin has not publicly disclosed its pricing, but a ride is estimated to cost well into six figures. Potential passengers are required to submit a $150,000 fully refundable deposit as part of the application process.
With six powerful women gearing up to make history, this upcoming mission promises to be a monumental step for gender representation in space—and an unforgettable adventure for its crew. 🚀✨
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