Blue Origin’s next mission to space will be solely composed of women, including multiple celebrities.
CBS News journalist Gayle King, recording artist Katy Perry, and pilot Lauren Sánchez, who is engaged to Amazon founder and Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos, will be part of the six person crew. Bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen will also be part of the group, along with former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe film producer Kerianne Flynn.
King reacted to the announcement this morning, telling her co-hosts that she’s “so afraid,” but also “so excited about it.”
She went on to say she never dreamed of going to space, but eventually her kids and her friend Oprah Winfrey helped change her mind. “I don’t know how to explain being terrified and excited at the same time,” King said of the upcoming mission. “It’s like how I felt about to deliver a baby.”
The announcement on the company’s webpage noted that Sánchez “is honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come.”
“This mission will be the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 31st in its history,” Blue Origin stated. “To date, the program has flown 52 people above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. This is the first all-female flight crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.”
Blue Origin did not yet announce the date of the flight.
Reactions on social media have been mixed, with many questioning Kate Perry being added to the flight crew especially.
“Heavy sigh,” one comment says.
“And I’m out. Peace,” another person wrote.
“lauren sanchez’s space suit gonna be interesting,” a third person commented, referencing the revealing outfit Sanchez wore to President Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
“Talk about equality! Why aren’t some people from disenfranchised communities allowed to experience this like the wealthy can?” another commenter said.
“Keep that dei alive,” another person reacted.
