Katy Perry and Gayle King among six women to reach edge of space on Blue Origin rocket. The crew, including Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, safely completed the trip, experiencing weightlessness for three minutes. Oprah Winfrey, a friend of King’s, attended the launch, praising King’s courage.
62 Miles Above Earth
The Blue Origin rocket soared to the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, about 62 miles above Earth. The crew’s emotional reactions were captured during the flight, with one passenger exclaiming, “Oh my goddess.” Another passenger expressed affection for Jeff Bezos. After a soft landing on the Texas plains, the crew was greeted with hugs and kisses. Katy Perry described the experience as “the highest high” and compared it to meditation, saying it was about “surrender to the unknown” and “trust.” Perry added that the experience made her feel a strong connection to the divine feminine.
All-Female Crew
Lauren Sánchez, who is set to marry Jeff Bezos this summer, tearfully expressed her desire to return to Earth, joking that staying in space would be “a bummer” for her upcoming wedding. Sánchez also reflected on the experience, saying, “The Earth was so quiet but also really alive. We are all in this together, and some connected.” The flight was the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program, which has flown 52 people to the Kármán line. The all-female crew included former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. While some critics questioned the trip’s purpose, the crew’s experiences and reactions suggest that the journey was a profound one.
In a post-flight interview, Perry mentioned that she had been preparing for the ride by listening to an audiobook of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos and reading about string theory. She expressed her fascination with astrophysics, astronomy, and astrology, saying, “We are all made of stardust, and we all come from the stars.” Gayle King, who co-hosts CBS Mornings, had initially approached the trip with trepidation, saying she didn’t feel like an astronaut. However, after the flight, she seemed to have embraced the experience. The crew’s diverse backgrounds and reactions added to the richness of the experience, highlighting the impact of space travel on individuals from different walks of life.
The Blue Origin rocket launch marked a significant moment in space tourism, with the all-female crew inspiring conversations about space exploration and feminism. As the space industry continues to evolve, experiences like this will likely shape our understanding of space travel and its potential impact on society.