Key Takeaways
- Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission will feature its first all-female crew, including Katy Perry, Gayle King, and other accomplished women from science, media, and philanthropy.
- The mission highlights diversity in space travel, showcasing leaders from various industries and continuing Blue Origin’s efforts to expand access to space.
Celebrities Katy Perry and Gayle King are among six women set to launch into space this spring on Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission.
This highlights the company’s commitment to expanding space access and inspiring future generations.
The flight will mark the first all-female crew in the history of the New Shepard program, the first all-women crew to fly since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo space mission in 1963.
On 16 June 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was launched on a solo mission aboard the spacecraft #Vostok6.
— Nereide (@Nereide) June 16, 2020
She was the 1st woman to travel in space, 2 years after Yuri #Gagarin’s 1st human-crewed flight in #space.
Video by @sciencemuseum#ValentinasDay2020#Historypic.twitter.com/QpG14qSafi
Blue Origin announced the NS-31 mission last Thursday, revealing that this will be its 11th human spaceflight.
The six-member team will travel beyond the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, aboard the suborbital New Shepard rocket.
Blue Origin’s latest mission underscores the growing role of non-astronauts participating in space travel.
This time, the NS-31 crew features accomplished women from entertainment, media, science, and philanthropy — each bringing a unique perspective to the mission.
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Among them is Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist and entrepreneur who advocates for STEM education.
Bowe hopes to inspire young people, particularly in the Bahamas, where she began her academic journey at a community college before earning an engineering degree.
Joining her is Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee known for her advocacy for sexual violence survivors.
She will make history as the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut, using her mission to highlight the role of science in peacebuilding.
Meanwhile, King, award-winning journalist and co-host of "CBS Mornings," will step outside her comfort zone for this experience.
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The longtime broadcaster has covered historic moments throughout her career, and now, she will take part in one herself.
On the other hand, Perry, one of the best-selling female artists of all time, hopes her flight will encourage children, including her own daughter, to reach for their dreams.
The global superstar has often incorporated space themes in her music and visuals, and now, she will experience it firsthand.
Also part of the mission is Kerianne Flynn, a philanthropist, fashion and HR executive, and film producer.
Lauren Sánchez, an Emmy-winning journalist, helicopter pilot, and vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, completes the roster.
Sánchez, who founded the first female-owned aerial film and production company, aims to use her platform to inspire the next generation of explorers.
Expanding Access to Space
This milestone reflects how space travel has evolved, as private companies continue to push the boundaries of human exploration.
Since its inception, Blue Origin’s New Shepard program has flown 52 people past the Kármán line.
The company offers paying passengers a brief but thrilling journey to the edge of space on the New Shepard rocket.
The 11-minute trip provides an unforgettable few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth.
We just completed our 10th human spaceflight and the 30th flight of the New Shepard program. The astronaut crew included Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah, and an undisclosed sixth person. This was Lane’s second flight. To date, New… pic.twitter.com/expfP7vNpR
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) February 25, 2025
The NS-31 mission also reinforces the company’s focus on diversity and inclusion in space exploration, showcasing women’s contributions across multiple industries.
While commercial space travel is still in its early stages, Blue Origin is pushing the industry forward.
It is positioning itself as a leader in making space more accessible to individuals beyond traditional astronaut training programs.
The company has yet to announce the official launch date for NS-31, but the mission will add another chapter to the ongoing evolution of private spaceflight.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration faced controversy as it began firing hundreds of FAA probationary employees responsible for maintaining air traffic systems.
