Katy Perry and All-Female Crew Complete Blue Origin Spaceflight

Today, six high-profile women made headlines as they launched into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket and capsule. Among them was pop star Katy Perry, joined by Gayle King, CBS Mornings co-host; Lauren Sánchez, a former journalist and fiancée of Jeff Bezos; Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist; Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights advocate; and Kerianne Flynn, a film producer.

The launch took place at 9:30 a.m. ET from Blue Origin’s facility in Van Horn, Texas. The brief flight lasted about 10 minutes, taking the crew just past the Kármán line—an invisible boundary 62 miles above Earth that is commonly considered the "edge of space." After reaching this milestone, the capsule safely descended under parachutes and landed in the Texas desert.

Variety reported that the New Shepard rocket operates autonomously, with no pilot on board. This mission was designed to highlight the contributions of women in the field of aeronautics. During the flight, Perry reportedly sang, though the broadcast didn’t make the song clear. However, in a later interview, King shared that Perry sang “What a Wonderful World.”

Jeff Bezos, founder and chairman of Amazon and the man behind Blue Origin, was the first to greet the crew after landing. He opened the capsule hatch with a wrench and welcomed Sánchez. Perry followed, kneeling to kiss the ground, and King exited next, doing the same.

Blue Origin, founded by Bezos in 2000, launched its first crewed flight in July 2021. That mission included Bezos himself and Wally Funk, a pioneering female astronaut who trained as part of NASA’s Mercury program in the 1960s.

According to the Blue Origin website, the NS-31 mission patch includes several meaningful symbols that represent each crew member’s unique contributions and passions. The target star reflects Aisha Bowe’s ambition, her passion for STEM, and her dedication to inspiring the next generation. The scales of justice highlight Amanda Nguyễn’s work in civil rights and her mission to break barriers and empower everyday people to create change. Gayle King is represented by a shooting star microphone, symbolizing her commitment to sharing powerful and important stories with the world.

A firework on the patch stands for Katy Perry’s far-reaching influence in music, pop culture, and philanthropy. A film reel represents Kerianne Flynn’s deep passion for filmmaking, storytelling, and creating meaningful narratives. And finally, joining the mission in spirit is Flynn the Fly, the main character from Lauren Sánchez’s bestselling children’s book, The Fly Who Flew to Space. The character's inclusion honors Sánchez’s dedication to inspiring children, especially those with learning differences, to dream big and rise above challenges.