All-Female Spaceflight Breaks Records with Blue Origin’s New Shepard
In a historic feat, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket spacecraft successfully undertook an all-female spaceflight mission by transporting six women to the boundary of space. Crew members were carefully chosen by Lauren Sanchez, the fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, who is a billionaire.
Meet the Crew
Lauren Sanchez: Emmy Award-winning reporter and Bezos’ fiancée, who selected the crew for this historic mission, hoping to inspire generations of women to follow in her footsteps.
Katy Perry: International pop sensation and supporter of charitable causes, such as UNICEF and her own Firework Foundation.
Gayle King: Legendary journalist, CBS Mornings co-anchor, and editor-at-large at Oprah Daily, who braved her fear of flying to embark on this mission.
Aisha Bowe: Entrepreneur, former NASA rocket scientist, and STEM advocate, who performed research experiments on human physiology and plant biology aboard the flight.
Amanda Nguyen: Harvard-trained bioastronautics research scientist and women’s health and STEM education advocate, who became the first Vietnamese-born woman in space.
Kerianne Flynn: Nonprofit professional and film producer, engaged in community development programs in New York City, who is committed to inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.
The Mission
New Shepard rocket ship blasted off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas, flying to an altitude of 66 miles over the Earth’s surface. The crew felt weightlessness and caught stunning vistas of the Earth and moon during the 11-minute suborbital journey. The crew capsule touched down gently on Earth, with the booster coming down on its own some distance away.
Inspiring the Next Generation
The mission delivered student-designed science payloads and student postcards from around the world, with the aim of encouraging STEM education and inspiring young people to study and become scientists and technologists. The astronauts remembered the experience and mentioned the peace and amazement they experienced in space. They underlined the need to make space accessible to all and encourage younger generations to have big aspirations.
Reaction and Criticism
Although the mission was met with widespread acclaim, some critics pointed out that the celebrity-filled flight was an abuse of resources. Nevertheless, the crew and Blue Origin highlighted the value in encouraging STEM education and getting young people, especially women, into science and technology careers.
A New Era in Space Exploration
This historic mission was a milestone for Blue Origin and the space sector in that it proved the capability of commercial spaceflight to educate and inspire. As the astronauts on board posted about their experiences on social media, they encouraged millions of people across the globe to gaze up into the stars and dream ¹.