Pop sensation Katy Perry is among six women who embarked on a historic journey to the edge of space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket on Monday. The mission, designated NS-31, marks the first all-female crew to venture into space since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight in 1963.
Joining Perry on this suborbital flight are notable figures such as Gayle King, co-anchor of CBS Mornings; Lauren Sánchez, Bezos' fiancée and a former journalist; Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist; Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics researcher and civil rights advocate; and Kerianne Flynn, a film producer.
The New Shepard rocket launched from Blue Origin's facility in West Texas, reaching an altitude of approximately 62 miles, crossing the Kármán line, which is recognized as the boundary of space. The flight lasted about 11 minutes, offering the crew a brief experience of weightlessness.
Perry expressed her excitement about the mission, recalling her childhood dreams of exploring space. The crew's journey was celebrated as a milestone in space tourism, marking a new era of accessibility to space travel for civilians.
The mission was streamed live, allowing global audiences to witness this historic event. Blue Origin's New Shepard program has successfully transported over 50 individuals beyond the Kármán line, contributing significantly to the development of commercial space tourism.