Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launched an all-female crew into space, including his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry and Gayle King on Monday. It was the latest trend in space tourism, where, most notably, more of the rich and famous, or lucky and well-connected, can enter zero-gravity.
The New Shepard rocket blasted off on the quick trip from West Texas. Sixty-six miles in the air, the fringes of space beckoned, and for a few minutes, it provided weightlessness. Sanchez invited the others for the 10-minute, fully automated flight, bringing the stars with her, including singer-songwriter Perry and “CBS Mornings” co-host King. Film producer Kerianne Flynn, Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer who started her own companies to promote science education, and Amanda Nguyen, a scientist who studied planets around other stars and now advocates for survivors of sexual violence, also joined for the ride.
It was the 11th human spaceflight for the Bezos’ company, Blue Origin. The founder strapped in for Blue Origin’s first space tourist flight in 2021 and accompanied the latest crew to the pad.
The launch was the nation’s first spaceflight where women filled each seat. The only other all-female crew in 64 years of human spaceflight was in 1963. That’s when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched herself, becoming the first woman in space. Tereshkova spent three days above the planet.
Despite the monumental flight, women represent only 15% of the more than 700 people who have traveled into space. Sanchez said she purposefully chose women to launch with her, each hoping to inspire both the young and the old to dream big. The launch brought VIPs to West Texas, most notably former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, who became the first Black woman in space in 1992, and several women who had previously flown on private flights. Bezos opened the capsule’s hatch shortly after touchdown, embracing his fiancée, the first one out.
As they emerged, Perry and King knelt and kissed the ground.
“Oh my God, that was amazing,” said King.
This wasn’t the first Blue Origin launch with marquee names. “Star Trek” actor William Shatner took a trip to space with Blue Origin in 2021 at age 90. He was followed by former New York Giants defensive end and TV host Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, the oldest daughter of Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, for whom the rocket is named. Two aviation pioneers who missed out on space when they were younger, Wally Funk and Ed Dwight, ventured to space at ages 82 and 90, respectively.
Most of Blue Origin’s passengers, 58 as of the latest launch, have been business or science types, TV hosts or YouTubers. Ticket prices are not disclosed.
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