Blue Origin launches all-female flight with Katy Perry, 5 others: 'Sisterhood'
All-female Blue Origin crew admires Earth and moon from space
Footage released by Blue Origin shows the all-female crew cheering and showing off various items they brought with them in their capsule on Monday. (Credit: Blue Origin via Storyful)
An all-female space flight launched on Monday from West Texas, making history as the first all-female space crew since Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight in 1963.
The six women took a 10-minute flight on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. It was the 11th human space flight for Blue Origin, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Here’s what to know about the historic flight.
Who went on the all-female Blue Origin flight?
Via Blue Origin live stream
The all-female crew included Lauren Sánchez, Bezos’ fiancée; pop star Katy Perry; TV journalist Gayle King; Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist who now heads an engineering firm; research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and movie producer Kerianne Flynn.
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Sánchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, picked the crew, the company said, and worked with the co-founders of Monse clothing brand to design the women’s custom space suits.
Oprah speaks ahead of Blue Origin all-female space flight
Watch Blue Origin NS-31’s all-female crew takes flight, including Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez and Gayle King. Oprah speaks ahead of the flight, in support of her friend, Gayle King.
What they're saying:
"Usually, you know, these suits are made for a man," Sánchez told The New York Times. "Then they get tailored to fit a woman."
She showed off the suits on Instagram.
Watch full launch and recovery of all-women flight
Watch Blue Origin NS-31’s all-female crew take flight, including Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez and Gayle King. The launch was a success and landed without incident about 15 minutes later.
"I think the suits are elegant," Sánchez said, "but they also bring a little spice to space."
Blue Origin launch
Kardashian's speak ahead of Blue Origin all-female space flight
Watch Blue Origin NS-31’s all-female crew takes flight, including Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez and Gayle King. Kris Jenner & Khloe Kardashian speak ahead of the mission launch.
The launch brought out VIPs to West Texas including Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and other members of the Kardashian family, and several women who previously have flown on private flights. All spoke about how emotional they felt watching the six women launch into space.
Winfrey, a close friend of King, wiped away tears when the capsule reached space and the passengers were heard marveling at the moon and shouting with joy.
Katy Perry’s daughter was also there to watch the special moment.
Reactions to being in space
Katy Perry, Gayle King react to flight: 'Sisterhood'
Katy Perry, Gayle King and the four other women who made history as the first all-female space crew on April 14, 2025, spoke on their experience just moments after landing back on earth.
What they're saying:
King and Perry both kissed the ground when they emerged from the capsule.
Sánchez, who exited first and embraced Bezos said she was surprised at how "quiet" yet "alive" Earth felt when seeing it from space.
King, who has a fear of flying, said she was glad she did it and had no regrets. She brought up that she's been afraid to even get her ears pierced, and that she might be willing to do that now.
"The best part was, when we got back in our seats after zero G's, Katie sang ‘What a Wonderful World,'" King shared.
Nguyen spoke about how her dream to visit space has been a part of her healing journey, and how she got to honor that today. She is a sexual assault survivor and prominent advocate for other survivors.
Flynn was moved by the experience and said she hopes a clear path emerges for anyone to be able to do this.
Bowe said this has been a lifelong dream of hers, and that she "picked the right dream."
And lastly, Perry said the experience made her feel incredibly connected to love.
"I think this experience has shown me you never know how much love is inside of you, how much love you have to give and how loved you are until the day you launch," Perry said.
Blue Origin all-female flight criticisms
The other side:
The news of the trip was not met without critiques, most recently from actor Olivia Munn, who bemoaned the mission's cost and publicity.
"I know this is not the cool thing to say, but there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now… if you want to go to space, why do you need to tell us about it?" Munn said on a recent episode of the "Today with Jenna & Friends" podcast.
FILE - A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket launches from Launch Site One in West Texas north of Van Horn on March 31, 2022. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
"Just go up there, have a good time, come on down," Munn continued. "I know this is probably obnoxious, but like, it’s so much money to go to space, you know? And there’s a lot of people who can’t even afford eggs."
But Perry believes an all-women crew has historic ramifications. Only 14% of people who have gone to space so far have been women.
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"It’s an important moment for the future of commercial space travel and for humanity in general and for women all around," Perry told The Associated Press. "I just feel like, ‘Put us in coach.’"
Blue Origin tourist space flights
The backstory:
Blue Origin has flown tourists on short hops to space since 2021, after Bezos climbed aboard with his brother for the inaugural trip. Some passengers have received free rides, while others have paid a hefty sum to experience weightlessness.
WATCH: Blue Origin launches New Glenn rocket on first test flight from Florida, loses booster
The company declined to say who’s paying for Monday's all-female flight.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press, The New York Times, Page Six and previous LiveNow from FOX reporting.