Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos, is set to launch its next crewed mission aboard the New Shepard rocket this spring. This mission, known as NS-31, will be historic, as it marks the first all-female spaceflight crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo journey in 1963. The six-person crew includes pop icon Katy Perry, veteran journalist Gayle King, and bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen. They will be joined by former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez, a pilot and vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund.
Sánchez, who played a key role in assembling the crew, is also engaged to Bezos. Blue Origin stated that she 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.” The mission aligns with the broader rise of commercial space tourism, which has increasingly allowed civilians—particularly women—to experience space travel.
Breaking Barriers for Women in Space
While NASA has selected 61 women as astronauts since its founding, the majority of space missions have been male-dominated. The first all-female spacewalk occurred in 2019 when NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir stepped outside the International Space Station. Now, Blue Origin is taking another step toward gender inclusivity in space travel.
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Among the mission’s crew, Amanda Nguyen will make history as the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut. Nguyen, a Harvard graduate and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is known for her advocacy for sexual violence survivors and her work with NASA on multiple space projects. Similarly, Aisha Bowe, a former NASA aerospace engineer and CEO of STEMBoard, hopes her journey “from community college to space” will inspire young women and aspiring scientists, especially in the Bahamas.
Katy Perry’s participation in the mission has also drawn widespread attention. Known for her hit song E.T., which explores themes of extraterrestrial life, Perry’s involvement adds a pop culture element to the mission. Meanwhile, Gayle King, a seasoned journalist, expressed a mix of fear and excitement about the journey, sharing that the crew has already started bonding over a group chat.
The Journey to the Kármán Line
The NS-31 mission will be Blue Origin’s 11th human spaceflight. The New Shepard rocket will carry its passengers past the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, located 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth. The journey will be brief but intense, as the crew will experience a few minutes of weightlessness before descending back to Earth under parachutes.
While the exact launch date has not yet been announced, the anticipation is already high. Blue Origin has emphasized that its spaceflight program is not just about tourism but also about expanding access to space exploration. Since the company’s first crewed launch in 2021, New Shepard has flown 52 people beyond the Kármán line, including MIT engineer Emily Calandrelli, who became the 100th woman to reach space in November 2023.
The Future of Female-Led Space Exploration
This mission highlights the growing presence of women in space, an industry historically dominated by men. Though the Soviet Union sent the first woman to space in 1963, it took decades before female astronauts gained greater opportunities in NASA and other agencies. Now, private companies like Blue Origin are accelerating that progress, opening doors for more women to participate in space exploration.
Beyond its historical significance, this all-female flight underscores the potential of commercial space travel. As space tourism continues to expand, more non-traditional astronauts—including scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs—are gaining access to space. With this mission, Blue Origin is demonstrating that space travel is no longer just for trained astronauts; it is for pioneers from all walks of life.
As the launch date approaches, one thing is clear: the future of space travel is becoming more diverse, inclusive, and star-studded than ever before.