Billionaire Bezos’ Space Expedition Sparks Controversy

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These new astronauts have phoned home.

The all-woman crew from Blue Origin have successfully returned to our planet following their space voyage on April 14. Accompanying Jeff Bezos’ partner, Lauren Sanchez, were notable personalities like singer Katy Perry, television host Gayle King, ex-NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

The team, who spent around 4 minutes in space, journeyed to the Kármán line, which is located 62 miles up from Earth, marking the boundary between our planet’s atmosphere and space. Upon their descent, Katy and Gayle both eagerly kissed the ground as a token of gratitude for their safe return. Simultaneously, Lauren, now back on solid ground, playfully commented that she needed to get back in time for her summer wedding with Jeff, which they had been meticulously preparing.

After coming back, Gayle, who is well-known for her fear of flying, expressed no remorse about her trip to space. She described it as “surprisingly peaceful up there” and added that gazing down at the planet gave her a new perspective. It made her reflect on the need for us to strive harder. She shared these thoughts with Blue Origin at their West Texas launch site.

Our bond is eternal, an experience like the one we’ve shared cannot be escaped, she emphasized. It truly feels like a genuine sisterhood.

Additionally, Gayle mentioned that while they were descending, Katy belted out “What a Beautiful World” by Louis Armstrong. When queried about her selection of the song, Katy responded, “I’ve sung this number before, and it seems like my inner wisdom is guiding us as I never thought I would sing it in space.

“It’s about making space for future women,” she continued. “This is all for the benefit of Earth.”

Accompanied by her fiancé Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy Dove, the “Firework” singer brought along a meaningful symbol for her space journey: A live daisy to inspire her. Katy explained, “Daisy is a common flower, but they bloom in any circumstance. They serve as a reminder of our precious Earth and the magic that exists everywhere, even within a single daisy.

Speaking of film producer Kerrianne, she shared how becoming a mother played a role in her choices. When her son mentioned to his friends that she was headed to space, they reacted with surprise, saying “Moms don’t go to space.” Yet, she managed to disprove this notion.

For the mission, a six-person all-female crew took off from West Texas, accompanied by loved ones including family members and friends. Notably among them was Oprah Winfrey, there to support her best friend Gayle. Dressed in a cheerful yellow sweater, she stood alongside Gayle’s children Kirby Bumpus and William Bumpus.

The six-woman crew embarked on their mission from West Texas with family and friends present. Oprah Winfrey was one of them, cheering on her longtime friend Gayle. Sporting a sunny yellow sweater, she was accompanied by Kirby Bumpus and William Bumpus, the children of Gayle.

Before the upcoming launch, Jeff, Lauren’s fiancé and founder of Blue Origin, was there to cheer her on. He spoke to the crew before lift-off, expressing his enthusiasm by saying, “I’m thrilled for you all, I can hardly wait to join you!” This statement was made as he rode along with the crew aboard the rocket. Essentially, he expressed a desire to be part of their journey too.

Upon your return, I eagerly look forward to learning about the transformation. Know that I hold each of you dear. Until then, good luck and safe travels.

The space journey held significant importance for its passengers, as they aspire to motivate upcoming generations and broaden the concept of how space expeditions might be envisioned in the future.

On April 2, Lauren expressed to Elle that each of these women is a unique storyteller in their own capacity. They are set to journey into space, where they will share their experiences differently.

This marks the first time an all-female crew has taken flight since 1963, when the Soviet Union launched a solo voyage by Valentina Tereshkova.

In Aisha’s words, “The way we depict things is crucial. It allows individuals to identify with their professions genuinely and authentically in the years ahead.

Keep reading to learn more about the mission.

Established in 2000 by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin functions as a private space corporation based in Kent, Washington. As stated on their official site, the mission of this organization revolves around utilizing the resources of space to benefit our planet and expand human presence beyond Earth. This is achieved through enhancing transportation means and creating habitable destinations in low Earth orbit.

Blue Origin’s approach involves developing reusable rockets and engines to lower the expenses associated with space travel, making it more affordable for ordinary citizens while fostering sustainability. During a 2016 Pathfinder Awards talk, Bezos expressed their vision as having “millions of people living and working in space.” The focus is on significantly reducing the cost of space travel by emphasizing reusability.

However, you won’t find ticket prices for Blue Origin flights listed on their website. What they do mention is that a deposit of $150,000 is required for booking a seat.

Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, who made history by being the first American in space in 1961, New Shepard is what Blue Origin calls a “completely reusable, suborbital rocket system designed for human travel.”

Six individuals can occupy New Shepard’s pressurized crew capsule, but you won’t find a pilot seat. Instead, according to the Blue Origin website, “The vehicle is fully automated – there are no pilots on board.”

New Shepard initially took flight in 2015 as part of a test program consisting of 16 successful tests, which were concluded in 2021.

In July of that year, Bezos and his brother Mark, along with an auction winner who paid $28 million for the opportunity, embarked on New Shepard’s inaugural human flight. Later in the same year, William Shatner and Michael Strahan were among the passengers who boarded the vehicle (though they were part of separate missions).

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

The New Shepard spacecraft operated by Blue Origin is planning to take off from Launch Site One, nestled within the Guadalupe Mountain range in the desert of West Texas, on April 14th. According to their website, the launch window will open at 8:30 a.m., Central Daylight Time (CDT).

According to Blue Origin’s website, astronauts onboard New Shepard rockets climb rapidly towards space, faster than three times the speed of sound. They surpass the Kármán line, a universally acknowledged boundary of space situated approximately 100 km (62 miles) above Earth, before unfastening to experience weightlessness and admire our planet. The journey concludes as the crew descends gently under parachutes. The entire trip is estimated to last around 11 minutes.

 

The team for mission NS-31 includes pop singer Katy Perry, CBS Mornings host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, STEMBoard founder Aisha Bowe (formerly a NASA rocket scientist), bioastronautics research scientist and activist Amanda Nguyen, and former TV anchor Lauren Sánchez. Notably, this crew marks the first all-female spaceflight since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union embarked on a solo mission, becoming 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 history as the first person of Bahamian descent to venture where few have dared to go before.

Each team member has their personal motivations for joining this mission. For instance, Perry aspires to inspire her daughter Daisy, shared with fiancé Orlando Bloom, to dream without boundaries and demonstrate that anyone, regardless of background, ethnicity, financial status, or educational background, can achieve their dreams. King, who openly discusses her apprehensions, aims to motivate others to venture beyond their comfort zones. She believes that by doing so, she will pave the way for many others who may have hesitated but are now eager to participate. Lastly, Nguyen is fulfilling a long-deferred dream. After her career at NASA and studying astrophysics at Harvard and MIT was interrupted by life, she found herself advocating for sexual assault survivors. She passed the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights in Congress and the United Nations, and after a decade, she decided to honor her pre-traumatized self by participating in this mission.

As reported by “Good Morning America”, each team member is scheduled to travel to the launch site ahead of the mission, where they’ll participate in training exercises. These workouts involve getting equipped with their flight suits, familiarizing themselves with the capsule, learning effective communication methods with ground control, and reviewing safety procedures.

While the team underwent collective training, some individuals like Bowe intensified their personal preparations prior to the mission. For instance, Bowe shared with ELLE that he’s been enhancing his physical readiness for over a year, culminating in a NASTAR simulation and a fighter jet flight. Similarly, Flynn mentioned she underwent several zero-gravity simulations and NASTAR training to acclimate herself to the sensation of weightlessness and high pressure.

Here are a few celebrities sharing details about what they plan to bring on their journeys:

* Nancy Conrad, who is married to the third man to walk on the moon, Pete Conrad, has inspired and mentored Bowe. She said, “Your journey parallels Pete’s in many ways,” so Bowe will be carrying an Apollo 12 flag that was given to her by Conrad.
* Sánchez is planning to bring a stuffed animal of the character Flynn from her children’s book, The Fly Who Flew to Space.
* King has promised to share some photos with someone.
* Nguyen will be carrying personal items on her journey, including shells from an island that her mother fled and a promise she made to herself after being assaulted. She wrote down “Never ever give up” as a reminder and taped it to her laptop. She also plans to bring the pen former President Obama used to sign the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Act, Nguyen dynasty coins, and Freetown cotton tree seeds.

Stars have shared encouraging messages to the crew, with King receiving a farewell video from CBS Mornings featuring Tom Hanks, Megan Rapinoe, Bill Nye, Drew Barrymore among others. The Charlie’s Angels actress wished King luck for the mission and expressed her eagerness to discuss ideas once he returns home. However, Olivia Munn has been critical of this event. She questioned why it was happening on Today with Jenna & Friends, stating that there are more pressing issues in the world and that space travel is expensive. Munn also wondered what the mission’s purpose was, suggesting it might be self-indulgent. King acknowledged the criticism about Bezos and Blue Origin but argued that this mission transcends one man and one company, emphasizing that multiple goals can be pursued simultaneously.

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2025-04-14 18:19