Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission made history on April 14, 2025, by launching the first all-female crew to space since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963. The brief yet momentous journey carried pop star Katy Perry, CBS host Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, and three other accomplished women to the edge of space in an 11-minute flight that captured worldwide attention while setting several notable milestones for diversity in space exploration.
Historic Launch and Flight Details
Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, carrying its six-member all-female crew, lifted off at 9:30 a.m. ET (1330 GMT) on Monday, April 14, 2025, from the company’s launch facility in West Texas. The mission, designated NS-31, marked Blue Origin’s 11th human spaceflight and the 31st flight overall for the New Shepard program.
The autonomous spacecraft followed its typical trajectory, reaching speeds of approximately 2,200 mph (Mach 3) and subjecting passengers to three times normal gravity during the initial ascent phase. After about two and a half minutes, the crew capsule separated from the booster rocket and continued its trajectory beyond the Kármán line—the internationally recognized boundary of space at 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.
The flight carried the crew to an altitude exceeding 346,000 feet, where they experienced several minutes of weightlessness before beginning their descent back to Earth. During this weightless period, the women were able to unbuckle from their seats and float freely within the capsule, enjoying spectacular views of our planet. The entire journey from launch to the capsule’s parachute-assisted landing lasted approximately 11 minutes.
Spacecraft and Safety Considerations
The New Shepard vehicle is a fully reusable, suborbital rocket system specifically designed for human spaceflight from its inception. The pressurized crew capsule, which accommodates six passengers, features the largest windows ever flown to space, providing each astronaut with an unobstructed view. The system operates autonomously without pilots, with the entire flight sequence pre-programmed.
Blue Origin’s robust safety systems include multiple backups, as noted by Gayle King in post-flight comments: “Blue Origin has backup after backup after backup after backup”. The crew underwent extensive training to prepare for all contingencies, including fire scenarios and emergency procedures.
The Trailblazing All-Female Crew
The historic six-woman crew represented diverse backgrounds and achievements:
Celebrities and Media Personalities
Katy Perry, the 40-year-old global pop sensation, joined the flight and brought along a daisy—symbolically named after her 4-year-old daughter Daisy Dove, who watched the launch with her father, actor Orlando Bloom. Perry described the experience as “second to being a mom” and revealed she felt “super connected to love” after the journey.
Gayle King, the 70-year-old co-host of “CBS Mornings,” overcame her well-documented fear of flying to participate in the mission. Her best friend Oprah Winfrey was among the spectators at the launch site. Post-flight, King remarked, “I can’t even believe what I saw” and described feeling “so proud of me right now”.
Lauren Sánchez, 55, a journalist, philanthropist, and fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, was instrumental in championing this historic mission. Bezos personally escorted the crew to the spacecraft before launch.
Scientists and Changemakers
Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist, made history as the first Bahamian person to travel to space. Her technical expertise brought valuable perspective to the mission.
Amanda Nguyen, a civil rights activist and bioastronautics research scientist, became the first Vietnamese and first Southeast Asian woman to reach space—a significant milestone for representation.
Kerianne Flynn, an accomplished film producer, rounded out the crew of pioneering women.
The Space Experience and Crew Reactions
The flight provided extraordinary moments for the crew, with audio from the capsule capturing their exuberant reactions as they soared above Earth. According to the broadcast, someone exclaimed “Look at the moon!” during the flight. The women experienced several minutes of weightlessness, allowing them to float freely within the capsule.
Memorable Moments in Space
One particularly touching moment occurred when Katy Perry sang Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” to her fellow crew members during the flight. She also revealed the setlist for her upcoming tour while in space. Perry brought 300 bracelets on the flight to give to children involved with her Firework Foundation, which helps underserved communities connect with the arts.
Upon returning to Earth, both Perry and King were so moved by the experience that they knelt to kiss the ground before embracing their waiting friends and family. Perry was seen clutching the daisy she had taken with her as a symbol of her daughter.
Post-Flight Reflections
In post-landing interviews, the crew shared powerful reactions to their journey. Katy Perry described feeling deeply connected to love, explaining, “I think this experience has shown me you never know how much love is inside of you—how much love you have to give and how loved you are—until the day of launch”. She rated her experience as “ten out of ten”.
Gayle King reflected on the profound peace she experienced during the flight: “It’s oddly quiet when you get up there, it’s really quiet and peaceful and you look down at the planet and you think ‘That’s where we came from?'” She continued, “It’s so nasty and so vitriolic nowadays and I mean if everybody could experience that peace that we had up there and the kindness”. King also noted that the experience was “such a reminder of how we have to do better, be better”.
Cultural Significance and Responses to Criticism
The mission garnered significant media attention, with the crew appearing on the cover of Elle magazine before their flight. The high-profile nature of the participants helped bring broader attention to women’s participation in space exploration.
Addressing Criticism
Despite the historical significance, the mission faced some criticism. The New York Times characterized it as a “spaceflight stunt” that merely demonstrated “women are now free to enjoy capitalism’s most extravagant spoils alongside rich men”. The article contrasted the Blue Origin flight, which it described as primarily for leisure, with the more rigorous achievements of professional astronauts.
In response to such criticism, Gayle King stated, “anybody that’s criticizing it doesn’t really understand what is happening here,” highlighting the inspirational impact on young women and girls. Lauren Sánchez added, “I would love to have them come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle. They love their work and they love the mission and it’s a big deal for them”.
King also emphasized that space exploration benefits Earth rather than detracting from it: “Many assume that by allocating resources to space, we are detracting from our planet. It’s not an either/or situation; it’s both. Our endeavors in space can also enhance conditions here on Earth”.
Inspirational Impact
Blue Origin framed the mission as a way to inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM fields. Lauren Sánchez noted in an Elle interview that the aim was to inspire “the next generation of explorers”. Gayle King reflected on the historical significance: “Growing up, this wasn’t my aspiration. Yet if it had been, I wouldn’t have seen anyone who resembled me—whether a person of color or a woman. That was unthinkable”. She later added, “As the first all-female crew, I’m certain we won’t be the last. This milestone paves the way for innovation and creativity”.
Blue Origin’s Space Tourism Mission
Blue Origin is one of several private spaceflight companies—alongside Virgin Galactic, Space Adventures, and SpaceX—offering wealthy individuals and their guests access to space experiences. Founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin aims to democratize space travel, making it available to more people beyond trained professional astronauts.
The New Shepard rocket system is designed for operational reusability with minimal maintenance between flights to reduce costs and waste. Nearly 99% of the vehicle’s dry mass is reusable, including the booster, capsule, ring fin, engine, landing gear, and parachutes. The BE-3PM engine uses liquid oxygen and hydrogen as fuel, producing only water vapor with zero carbon emissions.
Prior to this mission, Blue Origin had already carried 52 people across the Kármán line on previous flights. The company continues to position itself as a leader in the growing space tourism industry, with this historic all-female flight representing a significant milestone in its mission to expand access to space.
Conclusion
Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission stands as a landmark achievement in private spaceflight, demonstrating the growing accessibility of space while breaking barriers for female representation. Beyond the celebrities and headlines, the flight carried symbolic weight—showing younger generations of women and girls that space is within their reach regardless of gender. While debates continue about the relative value of space tourism versus traditional space exploration, the mission undeniably succeeded in capturing public attention and generating conversation about representation in aerospace.
The six women who briefly slipped the bonds of Earth on April 14, 2025, joined the exclusive ranks of space travelers while making history as the first all-female crew in over six decades. Their journey, though lasting only 11 minutes, may inspire countless hours of dreams among future generations of space enthusiasts.
References:
Reuters: Katy Perry launches into space with all-female crew on Blue Origin rocketHollywood Reporter: Blue Origin space flight includes Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez, and Gayle King
Space.com: What time is Blue Origin’s New Shepard launch with Katy Perry and Gayle King?
CBS News: Gayle King space launch – Blue Origin live stream
NY Times: Lauren Sánchez and Katy Perry board Blue Origin’s historic flight
Also Read:
Streaming Giants vs. Niche Platforms: Has the Streaming War Finally Settled?