Katy Perry is set to join an all-female crew for Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-31 mission, marking a historic milestone in space exploration. This mission, scheduled for spring 2025, will be Blue Origin’s 11th human flight and the 31st overall for the New Shepard program.
Crew Members:
The distinguished crew includes:
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Katy Perry: The acclaimed singer and songwriter, known for hits like “Firework” and “Roar,” will be the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut.
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Gayle King: The award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings, King brings decades of experience in broadcast journalism.
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Lauren Sánchez: An Emmy award-winning journalist, New York Times best-selling author, pilot, and Vice-chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, Sánchez is also the fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos.
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Aisha Bowe: A former NASA rocket scientist and CEO of STEMBoard, Bowe is recognized for her contributions to aerospace engineering and her advocacy for STEM education.
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Amanda Nguyen: A bioastronautics research scientist who graduated from Harvard, Nguyen has worked on NASA’s shuttle missions and the Kepler exoplanet mission. She will be the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut.
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Kerianne Flynn: A film producer and media executive, Flynn has been involved in various projects that bridge entertainment and technology.
Mission Details:
The NS-31 mission will launch from Blue Origin’s West Texas facility. The New Shepard rocket is designed for suborbital flights, reaching the Kármán line—the internationally recognized boundary of space—at approximately 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth. The crew will experience several minutes of weightlessness and witness the curvature of the Earth before returning to the desert landing site.
Historical Significance:
This mission is particularly notable as it marks the first all-female crewed spaceflight since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.
The crew’s diverse backgrounds—from entertainment and journalism to science and technology—underscore the expanding opportunities for women in space exploration.
Public Reactions:
The announcement has garnered widespread attention and support. Fans and space enthusiasts have expressed excitement over the mission’s potential to inspire future generations, particularly young women aspiring to careers in STEM fields. The crew members themselves have shared their enthusiasm and the profound impact the journey is expected to have on their perspectives of Earth and humanity.
Future Implications:
Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission represents a significant step forward in commercial spaceflight, highlighting the increasing involvement of private companies in space exploration. The mission’s success could pave the way for more inclusive and diverse representation in future space missions, inspiring a broader demographic to engage with and contribute to the field of space exploration.
