Katy Perry and 4 Other Women Are About to Make History in Space!

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Katy Perry is seeking an extraordinary journey beyond the radiance of the moon, as bright as daylight itself. Indeed, she could very well witness it during her upcoming space expedition. The “Firework” crooner is preparing for a space voyage with Blue Origin, slated to launch from Launch Site One in West Texas on April 14 at 8:30 am local time.

Accompanying Perry will be an impressive team of women: CBS Mornings host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and activist Amanda Nguyen, and former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, is engaged to the latter.

This all-female space crew marks a significant milestone since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space for the Soviet Union. They will travel aboard the New Shepard, described by Blue Origin as its “fully reusable, suborbital rocket system.” The journey, estimated to last approximately 11 minutes, will be the 11th human flight and the 31st mission overall for the New Shepard—hence the name NS-31.

As a passionate follower of engineering, I can’t contain my enthusiasm when it comes to this project, as I shared during my interview with ITV News on April 11. I’m eagerly looking forward to deepening my understanding of STEM and the math that underpins such incredible accomplishments.

For me, the “E.T.” artist, embarking on this journey has been a long-cherished dream. As I put it during the same interview, “I’ve always been captivated by astrophysics, astronomy, and astrology, and the stars. It feels like we are made of stardust and hail from the cosmos. The prospect of seeing them twinkle from that vantage point is thrilling. Moreover, experiencing such a profound connection with Mother Earth will undoubtedly enrich my appreciation for our planet.”

Not everyone on this mission has spent years dreaming of space travel, though. As King shared during an episode of CBS Mornings in February, “I’m terrified, but I’m also incredibly excited about it.”

As we continue to follow the news about this extraordinary journey, let’s delve deeper into the experiences of the crew, the excitement surrounding the mission, and the criticisms that inevitably arise.

Established by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos in 2000, Blue Origin operates as a private space firm based in Kent, Washington. As per their official site, the mission of this organization is to utilize resources from space for Earth’s benefit and expand human presence beyond our planet through enhanced transportation means and the development of habitable and functional destinations in low Earth orbit.

Blue Origin aims to achieve these objectives by designing reusable rockets and engines, with the ultimate goal of lowering the cost of space travel, making it more accessible to the public, and fostering sustainability. During a 2016 Pathfinder Awards talk, Bezos expressed their vision: “We aim for millions of people living and working in space.” He added that they are focused on significantly reducing the price of space travel by emphasizing reusability.

As for booking a seat on a Blue Origin flight, although the company doesn’t disclose prices on its website, it does mention requiring a $150,000 deposit.

Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, who made history as the first American in space in 1961, the New Shepard is a fully reusable suborbital rocket system designed for human travel, as described by Blue Origin. This spacecraft can accommodate six individuals within its pressurized crew capsule; however, it’s important to note that there are no pilots on board because the vehicle operates autonomously.

The New Shepard was first launched in 2015, as part of a test program consisting of 16 successful tests, which were completed in 2021. In July of the same year, Bezos and his brother Mark participated in the spacecraft’s inaugural human flight, along with an auction winner who paid $28 million for their seat. William Shatner and Michael Strahan were among other passengers who joined later in the year (on separate missions).

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

On April 14, the New Shepard mission (NS-31) is set to take off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One situated within the Guadalupe Mountain range in West Texas desert. According to their website, the launch window starts at 8:30 a.m. CDT.

According to Blue Origin’s website, astronauts aboard New Shepard experience a journey that surpasses three times the speed of sound. They reach and cross the Kármán line, which is recognized globally as the threshold of space at 62 miles (100 km) above Earth. Once there, they are freed from their seats to float weightlessly and marvel at our planet. The voyage concludes with a soft landing under parachutes, and the entire trip is estimated to last approximately 11 minutes.

 

As an over-the-moon enthusiast, I can’t help but share my excitement about the stellar crew for mission NS-31! I’ve got Katy Perry, the melodious sensation, on board, alongside the radiant Gayle King, who gracefully hosts CBS Mornings. Kerianne Flynn, our film producer, is there too, and Aisha Bowe, the brilliant former NASA rocket scientist, adds her stellar presence. The team also includes Amanda Nguyen, a groundbreaking bioastronautics research scientist and activist, and Lauren Sánchez, the former TV anchor who’s engaged to none other than Bezos! This crew is truly something special, as they’re embarking on the first all-female spaceflight since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova, a trailblazer from the Soviet Union, made history as the first woman in space. Nguyen is set to make history again as the first Vietnamese woman in space, and Bowe will write her name in the annals of history as the first person of Bahamian heritage to venture where few have dared to go!

Each team member joins this mission for their unique motivations. For Perry, it’s about instilling in her daughter Daisy, whom she shares with fiancé Orlando Bloom, the belief that there are no boundaries to one’s dreams. She wants Daisy to see that anyone, regardless of background, ethnicity, economic status, or educational level, can achieve their dreams. King, who has admitted to her apprehensions, aims to inspire people to venture beyond their comfort zones. If she can do it, she believes, doors will open for others who hesitated but are now excited about the journey. For Nguyen, this opportunity represents a deferred dream. She worked at NASA and studied astrophysics at Harvard and MIT, but her life was derailed. Gender-based violence played a significant role in many women in STEM fields abandoning their careers, and she was one of them. After being sexually assaulted, she traded her telescope to fight for her rights as a sexual assault survivor. She drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, passed it in Congress and at the United Nations. After a decade, she decided to honor the person she was before she was hurt by taking this opportunity.

As reported by Good Morning America, every team member is scheduled to travel to the launch site prior to the mission, where they’ll participate in training exercises. These drills will encompass getting suited up for flight, familiarizing themselves with the capsule, learning effective communication methods with ground control, and reviewing safety guidelines.

Prior to the mission, certain team members undertook their own readiness procedures independently. Bowe, for instance, ramped up his training a year ago but intensified it closer to launch. He finished a NASTAR simulation that mimicked flight conditions and booked a fighter jet flight, which he’s eagerly anticipating. Similarly, Flynn completed several zero-gravity simulation flights. In her words, they modify a Boeing 747 to perform parabolic maneuvers, causing everyone to float during descent. This was to familiarize herself with weightlessness. Additionally, she experienced up to five Gs of pressure during the NASTAR training in Philadelphia.

Here are a few celebrities preparing for their space missions:

– Nancy Conrad is taking the Apollo 12 flag, which was given to her by her late husband Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the moon, as a tribute and inspiration.
– Bowe is packing plant samples from Winston-Salem State University’s Astrobotany Lab, dehydrated conch chowder as a nod to The Bahamas, and an historic object – the Apollo 12 flag that she received from Nancy Conrad, who serves as her mentor.
– Nguyen is bringing personal items including shells from her mother’s island and a promise she made to herself after overcoming a difficult experience. She also shared that she will be carrying the pen used by former president Barack Obama to sign the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Act, a Nguyen dynasty coin, and Freetown cotton tree seeds on her mission.

Stars have conveyed encouraging messages to the crew, with King receiving a farewell video from CBS Mornings, featuring stars like Tom Hanks, Megan Rapinoe, Bill Nye, Drew Barrymore, and others. Drew Barrymore expressed her excitement, saying, “Good luck,” and added she can’t wait to discuss the mission with the crew once they return home.

On the other hand, Olivia Munn has voiced criticism about the mission. She questioned the need for such an expedition during a time when there are more pressing issues in the world. Munn also raised concerns over the cost, stating that it’s expensive and many people can’t even afford basic necessities like eggs. She further questioned the purpose of the mission, calling it “a bit gluttonous.”

King acknowledged the criticisms regarding Bezos and Blue Origin, but argued that the mission is not solely about one man or one company. She believes that both the mission and Bezos’s business ventures can coexist. In her words, “It’s not a zero-sum game. You can do this on one hand and this on the other hand, and both things can be true.

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2025-04-13 13:17