Pop icon Katy Perry made history this week by joining Blue Origin’s first all-female space crew on an 11-minute flight aboard Jeff Bezos’s New Shepard NS-31. The 40-year-old singer was joined by CBS Mornings host Gayle King, rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, astronaut and activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and Bezos’s fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, who also curated the team.
Read More: El Salvador refuses to return wrongly deported man
The spaceflight, which launched from West Texas, marked the 11th human mission by Blue Origin and saw the crew briefly pass the Kármán line, the boundary between Earth and space, at 100 km (62 miles) altitude. During their zero-gravity experience, the women floated around the cabin and, in a powerful moment captured on video, looked into the camera and said in unison: “Taking up space.”
Tribute to Her Daughter
Upon landing safely, Perry stepped out of the capsule holding a daisy in the air—a tribute to her four-year-old daughter Daisy—before kissing the ground in gratitude. She explained the symbolism behind the flower, calling daisies “resilient” and “a reminder of our beautiful Earth and God’s smile.”
“Daisies grow through anything—cracks, cement, walls. They’re powerful. They’re strong. They’re everywhere,” she said. “This whole journey is about learning to appreciate and protect what we have.” Her daughter, who watched the landing, was one of Perry’s main motivations for going on the flight. “It was hard to go,” she admitted. “But I wanted to model courage, worthiness, and fearlessness.”
A Song for Earth and the Future of Women in Space
Mid-flight, instead of belting out one of her own hits like Roar or Firework—as encouraged by her fellow astronauts—Perry chose to sing What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. Gayle King described the moment as a highlight of the mission, calling it deeply moving and representative of Perry’s mindset.
“I’ve covered that song in the past, but I had no idea I’d be singing it in space,” Perry said. “It wasn’t about me. It was about the energy in the capsule—it was about us. About making space for future women, about belonging, and appreciating the beauty of Earth.”
Perry also announced that she plans to write a song inspired by the space journey. “This experience showed me how much love we carry inside us. I feel super connected to love—so connected,” she said. “You don’t know how loved you are until the day you launch.”
Training, Signs from Above, and a Deeper Spiritual Journey
Ahead of the flight, Perry trained for several days in a replica of the capsule. She shared on social media that her call sign was “Feather,” a nickname given to her by her mother. In a moment she described as “divine confirmation,” she noticed a feather emblem on the capsule and later discovered its name was “Tortoise”—another of her mother’s nicknames for her. “There are no coincidences,” she said. “It was like something bigger than me was steering the ship.”
Perry also expressed immense gratitude for the experience, calling it “second only to being a mum.” She added, “I couldn’t recommend it more. It’s not just about space—it’s the training, the team, the surrender to the unknown.”
Bezos, Sánchez, and the Crew Celebrate a Successful Mission
The astronauts were greeted by Bezos upon returning to Earth. He congratulated Perry, who replied simply: “Thank you.” The successful flight represents a milestone in Blue Origin’s growing space tourism efforts and highlighted the importance of representation in space.
Lauren Sánchez, who has written a children’s book on astronauts and led the mission’s selection, said the purpose of the flight was to “inspire others to dream big.” Each member of the crew brought a unique story—Nguyen as a civil rights activist, Flynn as a producer of films on gender equity, and Bowe as a former NASA engineer.
Read More: LVMH sales dip as Trump tariffs dent luxury tastes
As Perry prepares to return to her musical roots, fans can expect a new song deeply inspired by the themes of love, courage, and the fragility of Earth. For the global star, the spaceflight was not just an achievement—but a spiritual awakening. “This is all for the benefit of Earth,” she said. “It’s about recognizing the magic all around us—and remembering we belong not just here, but among the stars too.”