Pop star Katy Perry and journalists Gayle King, Lauren Sanchez, who can also be billionaire Jeff Bezos’ fiance and different individuals, blast off into house on a Blue Origin rocket, as a part of the New Shepard Mission NS-31, marking the primary all-female flight crew in additional than six many years, in West Texas, Texas, U.S., April 14, 2025, on this display seize taken from a video.
Blue Origin | Through Reuters
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launched his fiancee Lauren Sanchez into house Monday with an all-female celebrity crew that included Katy Perry and Gayle King.
It was the most recent wave in house tourism, the place extra of the wealthy and well-known than ever earlier than — or fortunate and well-connected — can enter the zero-gravity realm historically dominated by skilled astronauts.
The New Shepard rocket blasted off on the fast up-and-down journey from West Texas. The fringes of house beckoned some 65 miles (105 kilometers) up, promising just a few treasured minutes of weightlessness.
Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, invited the others alongside for the 10-minute, absolutely automated flight, packing on the star energy with singer-songwriter Perry and “CBS Mornings” co-host King.
Additionally sharing the journey have been movie producer Kerianne Flynn; Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer who began her personal corporations to advertise science training; and Amanda Nguyen, a scientist who studied planets round different stars and now advocates for survivors of sexual violence.
Blue Origin declined to say how a lot the flight value or who paid what. The journey got here two months earlier than Sanchez and Bezos marry in Venice.
Jeff Bezos embraces Lauren Sanchez as she comes out of the capsule wherein she, Pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, and different individuals, landed again on earth after blasting off into house on a Blue Origin rocket, as a part of the New Shepard Mission NS-31, marking the primary all-female flight crew in additional than six many years, in West Texas, Texas, U.S., April 14, 2025, on this display seize taken from a video.
Blue Origin | Reuters
It was the eleventh human spaceflight for the Washington state-based firm, based by Bezos in 2000 after making a fortune with Amazon. Bezos strapped in for Blue Origin’s first house vacationer flight in 2021 and accompanied the most recent crew to the pad.
The celebrity launch was the nation’s first spaceflight the place ladies crammed every seat. The one different all-female crew in 64 years of human spaceflight was again in 1963. That is when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched by herself, changing into the primary girl in house. Tereshkova spent three days off the planet.
Even after the most recent launch, ladies symbolize barely 15% of the greater than 700 individuals who have traveled into house. Sanchez mentioned she intentionally selected ladies to launch with her, every of them wanting to encourage each the younger and previous to dream massive, and even commissioned particular flight fits.
Pop star Katy Perry comes out of the capsule wherein she, journalists Gayle King, Lauren Sanchez, who can also be billionaire Jeff Bezos’ fiance and different individuals, landed again on earth after blasting off into house on a Blue Origin rocket, as a part of the New Shepard Mission NS-31, marking the primary all-female flight crew in additional than six many years, in West Texas, Texas, U.S., April 14, 2025, on this display seize taken from a video.
Blue Origin | Reuters
“It is an vital second for the way forward for business house journey and for humanity typically and for girls throughout,” Perry informed The Related Press final week.
The launch introduced out VIPs to West Texas together with Oprah Winfrey and a number of ladies who beforehand have flown on non-public flights. Winfrey, an in depth pal of King, wiped away tears when the capsule reached house and the passengers have been heard marveling on the moon and shouting with pleasure.
Oprah Winfrey reacts as Pop star Katy Perry and journalists Gayle King, Lauren Sanchez, who can also be billionaire Jeff Bezos’ fiance and different individuals, blast off into house on a Blue Origin rocket, as a part of the New Shepard Mission NS-31, marking the primary all-female flight crew in additional than six many years, in West Texas, Texas, U.S., April 14, 2025, on this display seize taken from a video.
Blue Origin | Reuters
This wasn’t the primary Blue Origin launch with marquee names.
“Star Trek” actor William Shatner caught a elevate to house with Blue Origin in 2021 at age 90, quickly after Bezos’ inaugural journey. He was adopted by former New York Giants defensive finish and TV host Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, for whom the rocket is known as. Two aviation pioneers who missed out on house once they have been youthful — Wally Funk and Ed Dwight — additionally rocketed away at ages 82 and 90, respectively.
Most of Blue Origin’s passengers — 58 counting the most recent launch — have been enterprise or science varieties, TV hosts or YouTubers. Ticket costs should not disclosed.
The Russian House Company additionally has launched its share of house vacationers, starting with a California financier in 2001. Twenty years later, a Russian actress filmed aboard the Worldwide House Station.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX additionally sells multi-day journeys to non-public clients. SpaceX’s first shopper to fly, billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman already has launched twice and carried out the primary non-public spacewalk. He is now set to develop into NASA’s subsequent administrator if confirmed by the Senate.
Chinese language-born bitcoin investor Chun Wang simply returned from the primary spaceflight to hold individuals over the north and south poles. Wang picked up the entire SpaceX tab for himself and three polar explorers for an undisclosed sum.
“On this thrilling new period of business spaceflight, the dream of changing into an astronaut is now not restricted to a choose few,” Wang mentioned through X final week.
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