Katy Perry, Gayle King, and Four Trailblazers Soar in Blue Origin’s Historic All-Female Spaceflight

Van Horn, Texas, April 14, 2025 – In a landmark moment for space exploration, pop superstar Katy Perry, CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, and four other women launched into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket on Monday, marking the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963. The NS-31 mission, which lifted off at 9:30 a.m. EDT from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas, carried the crew to the edge of space for an 11-minute journey that blended science, inspiration, and style.

The six-woman crew, led by journalist and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez—fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos—included Perry, King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics researcher and activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. Their suborbital flight crossed the Kármán line, the 62-mile-high boundary of space, where they experienced four minutes of weightlessness before parachuting back to the Texas desert.

“This was the highest high,” Perry said after landing, clutching a daisy she carried for her 4-year-old daughter, Daisy, who watched with Perry’s fiancé, Orlando Bloom, from the ground. “I feel super connected to love and this beautiful planet.” During the weightless phase, Perry serenaded the crew with Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” a moment King called “the best part” of the trip.

The crew’s journey was as much about fashion as it was about breaking barriers. Sánchez collaborated with Monse designers Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim to create custom flight suits for the mission. Made of flame-resistant stretch neoprene, the sleek suits ditched the bulky shoulder pads of Blue Origin’s standard gear, featuring tailored fits and vibrant blue accents. “These suits are elegant but bring a spark to space,” Sánchez said, noting their balance of comfort and boldness. King praised them as “professional and feminine,” reflecting the crew’s diverse identities.

For King, known for her fear of flying, the mission was a leap of courage. “It’s oddly quiet up there,” she told reporters, describing the humbling view of Earth. “It made me think we need to do better as a planet. We’re forever bonded now—a true sisterhood.” She kissed the ground alongside Perry upon landing, a gesture of gratitude witnessed by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, and Khloé Kardashian, who attended the launch.

Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer, emphasized the mission’s impact on STEM representation. “This isn’t just a flight—it’s a signal to young women that they belong in these spaces,” she said. Nguyen, a civil rights advocate, carried a symbolic feather gifted by friends, later reflecting, “I took everyone who believed in me up there.” Flynn, a documentarian, captured moments of the crew’s camaraderie, hinting at a future project to share their story.

The NS-31 flight, Blue Origin’s 11th crewed mission, showcased the New Shepard’s reliability, with the rocket landing autonomously after separating from the capsule. The event drew praise and some criticism, with detractors like actress Olivia Munn calling it a “costly” spectacle. Sánchez and King pushed back, with Sánchez saying, “This is about opening doors, not showing off.”

Perry, who has dreamed of space for 15 years, brought 300 bracelets for her Firework Foundation to distribute to children in underserved communities, linking the mission to her advocacy for arts access. “This is second only to being a mom,” she said, still holding her daisy.

As the crew celebrated their safe return, Winfrey, wiping tears, called it a “new chapter” for women in space. The mission’s blend of science, art, and empowerment left an indelible mark, proving that even a brief trip beyond Earth can inspire lasting change. Fans can rewatch the launch on Blue Origin’s website, where the crew’s joy—and Perry’s song—echoed across the cosmos.