Katy Perry & 5 Other Celebs BLAST Off into Space – But at What Cost?

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These six women are about to be in a whole new world.

On April 14, the space voyage led by an all-female team was officially initiated as part of Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission. Jeff Bezos‘ partner, Lauren Sánchez, played a crucial role in forming this team. Accompanying them on the journey were celebrities like Katy Perry and Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

As a devoted follower, I’m excited to embark on an incredible journey, starting from West Texas. Alongside the Blue Origin team, I’ll soar towards the Kármán line – the boundary dividing Earth’s atmosphere and space, located approximately 62 miles above our planet. Our stay in outer space is expected to last around 11 minutes. This mission marks a significant milestone as it’s the first all-woman flight since the solo mission of Valentina Tereshkova for the Soviet Union back in 1963. I can hardly wait to experience this groundbreaking moment!

The crew’s eagerness for the voyage has been nurtured by a blend of feelings, encompassing both their anxiety and exhilaration over this extraordinary mission off-planet. They’ve found solace in their loved ones during this time, with Katy disclosing that she discussed the launch with her fiancé, Orlando Bloom, who is also the father of their 4-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove.

She expressed on SiriusXM’s Hits 1’s The Morning Mash Up on March 3 that there is a strong mutual respect between them. This means they value one another highly. As such, they seek each other’s ideas, and he is equally invested in the process, focusing on the journey together.

“That’s the one thing, I really, really admire about him,” she added. “He’s a seeker.”

In the heat of this significant choice I was about to make, I didn’t just rely on my own thoughts. Just like any other dedicated fan, I sought advice from those who matter most to me. So, before giving my consent, I contacted my cherished offspring Kirby Bumpus and Will Bumpus, along with my dearest friend Oprah Winfrey.

In a recent episode of her show on February 27th, the CBS Mornings host, who has children with ex-partner William Pumpus, mentioned that she felt at ease after Kirby, Will, and Oprah agreed. Initially, I thought Oprah might object, but instead, she said, “If you don’t do it, when they all come back and you had the chance to, you’ll be wishing you had.” And she was right.

The TV host confessed that she chose to become part of the team following her significant 70th birthday, feeling inspired to embark on a new adventure.

She went on to say, ‘This wasn’t the dream I envisioned, and someone suggested, ‘Perhaps it’s time for you to create fresh aspirations, Gayle.’ With my significant birthday approaching, I felt ready to embrace novel experiences.

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but express my thoughts on the space voyage. Interestingly, not everyone seems to be on board with this expedition. Olivia Munn, for instance, voiced her skepticism during her appearance on “Today With Jenna & Friends” on April 3, questioning, “What exactly are you all planning to do in space? What’s the purpose of your stay up there?

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I find myself pondering over the purpose behind the recent Blue Origin launch. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the historical significance of space travel; quite the contrary! However, my curiosity lies in understanding how this journey will translate into tangible improvements for us on Earth. After all, isn’t the ultimate goal of such endeavors to expand our collective knowledge and uplift humanity?

Despite a range of opinions about the mission, Lauren has consistently emphasized its significance for future generations. In an interview with Elle on April 2, she explained, “Each of these women is a storyteller in her own unique way. They’ll go to space and share their experiences differently.

According to her perspective, this team is likely to broaden the concept of how space exploration might be shaped. Rocket scientist Aisha concurred, emphasizing that this portrayal holds significance. It’s about inspiring people to identify with these roles and feel empowered to bring their genuine selves into their future careers in this field.

Keep reading to learn more about the mission.

As a follower dedicated to space exploration, I can share that Blue Origin, established by Jeff Bezos in 2000, stands as a private entity headquartered in Kent, Washington. According to their website, this organization’s mission is twofold: to harness the resources of space for Earth’s benefit and to expand human presence in space through enhanced transportation means and the development of habitats in low Earth orbit.

Blue Origin is striving to achieve these objectives by constructing reusable rockets and engines, aiming to lower the cost of space travel, make it more accessible to the public, and foster sustainability. In a 2016 Pathfinder Awards talk, Bezos expressed their vision: “Our goal is to have millions of people living and working in space.” He further emphasized their focus on reusability as a key strategy for reducing the cost of space travel dramatically.

While Blue Origin doesn’t publicly disclose ticket prices on their website, they do mention requiring a $150,000 deposit.

Named after the renowned astronaut Alan Shepard, who made history as the first American to travel to space in 1961, Blue Origin refers to New Shepard as a “completely reusable, suborbital rocket system designed for human journeys.”

The pressurized crew capsule of New Shepard can accommodate six individuals, but there is no pilot seat. As Blue Origin’s website states, “The vehicle operates autonomously—there are no pilots involved.”

New Shepard made its debut in 2015 as part of a flight test program that concluded successfully after 16 tests in 2021. In the same year, July saw Bezos and his brother Mark, along with an auction winner who paid an impressive $28 million, embark on New Shepard’s inaugural human flight. William Shatner and Michael Strahan were among the passengers who boarded the vehicle later that year (though they were part of separate missions).

The upcoming journey will mark New Shepard’s 31st mission, hence the name NS-31, and its 11th human flight.

The NS-31 mission of New Shepard is planning to take off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One, nestled within the Guadalupe Mountain range in the western Texas desert, on April 14. According to their website, the launch window opens at 8:30 a.m. CDT.

According to Blue Origin’s website, New Shepard astronauts blast off towards space at over three times the speed of sound. They surpass the Kármán line, a globally accepted marker of space that lies 62 miles (or 100 km) above Earth. Once they pass this point, they can unstrap and experience weightlessness, enjoying a breathtaking view of our planet. The journey concludes with a smooth descent under parachutes. In total, the trip is expected to last approximately 11 minutes.

 

As a dedicated follower, I’m excitedly sharing that I’m part of an extraordinary team for mission NS-31. Joining me are singer Katy Perry, CBS Mornings host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, STEMBoard founder and former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and activist Amanda Nguyen, and former TV anchor Lauren Sánchez. Interestingly enough, this marks the first all-female spaceflight crew since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union embarked on a solo mission, making her the first woman to journey into space. Nguyen is set to make history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, and Bowe will be etched in the annals of history as the first person of Bahamian descent to venture where few have dared to go before.

Every team member has their unique motivations for joining this venture. In a recent issue of ELLE, several participants expressed their aspirations to inspire upcoming generations. For Perry, this entails instilling in her daughter Daisy, whom she shares with fiancé Orlando Bloom, the idea that there are no boundaries to one’s dreams and demonstrating that anyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, financial situation, or educational attainment, can achieve their aspirations.

King, who openly admits to her anxiety, shared with the magazine her aim to motivate people to venture beyond their comfort zones. She stated, “Once I do it, then the doors will open for many others who thought, ‘I was one of those hesitant people, but now I’m here and I am truly excited to embark on this journey.'”

King also expressed her hope that she could inspire people to take risks. She added, “Once I do it, then the doors will open for so many other people who thought, ‘Okay, I was one of those reluctant people, but now I’m here and I am really, really excited to go.'”

Lastly, Nguyen shared that this opportunity represents a long-deferred dream for her. “I worked at NASA, studied the stars—astrophysics at Harvard and MIT—but life got in the way,” she told the publication. “Gender-based violence is a significant reason why many women in STEM fields don’t continue their education, and I was one of those women. After I was sexually assaulted, I traded my telescope to fight for my rights as a sexual assault survivor. I drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, passed it in Congress and at the United Nations. And then, after 10 years, I said, ‘I want to honor the person that I was before I was hurt.’

As reported by Good Morning America, each crew member is set to travel to the launch site ahead of the mission for preparatory training. This training encompasses a variety of activities such as being fitted for their flight suits, getting acquainted with the capsule, learning effective communication methods with ground control, and reviewing safety procedures.

Even though the crew as a whole had been preparing for the mission, certain individuals chose to make their own preparations prior to the launch. For instance, Bowe intensified his training a year ago, which included completing a NASTAR simulation to experience what the flight would feel like. He also booked a fighter jet flight and was looking forward to it. Similarly, Flynn mentioned she had undergone several zero-gravity simulation flights and trained at Philadelphia’s NASTAR facility, where she experienced up to five Gs of pressure.

Here are a few celebrities preparing for their space missions:

* Nancy Conrad, wife of the third man to walk on the moon, Pete Conrad, is an inspiration and mentor to Bowe. She gave her the Apollo 12 flag to take along, as well as plant samples from Winston-Salem State University’s Astrobotany Lab and dehydrated conch chowder as a tribute to The Bahamas.
* Nguyen is bringing personal items with her: shells from the island her mother is a refugee from, and a promise she made to herself after her assault. This promise reads “Never ever give up,” which she wrote down and taped to her laptop as motivation during her recovery and fight for her rights. Additionally, she will be carrying a pen that former president Barack Obama used to sign the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Act, a Nguyen dynasty coin, and Freetown cotton tree seeds.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d like to share some intriguing insights from the space mission that has been making headlines recently. Notably, several celebrities have extended heartfelt messages to the crew. For instance, the actress from Charlie’s Angels expressed her anticipation about our conversation upon your return home.

On the other hand, there have been voices of dissent, such as Olivia Munn, who questioned the purpose and cost of this mission during an interview on Today with Jenna & Friends. She raised valid points about the high cost of space travel when many struggle to afford basic necessities like food.

Moreover, Olivia also wondered about the historical significance of the mission, suggesting it may border on extravagance. However, I understand the concerns regarding Amazon’s founder and Blue Origin’s association with this mission. Yet, in my opinion, it’s crucial to separate the individual from the enterprise. This endeavor transcends one man and one company, and it doesn’t have to be a competition where success in one area negates achievements in another. It can be a harmonious coexistence of ambition and responsibility.

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2025-04-14 15:47