On Monday morning, six women, including pop star Katy Perry, TV host Gayle King, and Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sánchez, successfully completed a journey to the edge of space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. The flight, launched from a private facility in Texas, was a significant milestone in Bezos’s vision for commercial space tourism.
Three Minutes of Weightlessness at the Edge of Space
The New Shepard rocket lifted off on time at 8:30 AM local time, aiming to reach the Kármán line, 100 kilometers (62 miles) above Earth—the recognized boundary of space. Once the capsule reached its peak, the crew experienced around three minutes of weightlessness, floating freely before beginning their descent back to Earth.
Excitement filled the capsule during the brief experience. One passenger exclaimed, “Oh my goddess,” while another shouted, “I love you, Jeff Bezos!” The capsule then separated from the booster and made a gentle parachute landing on the Texas plains, about two miles from the launch pad. Bezos was present at the landing site to open the hatch and personally welcome the crew back with hugs and kisses. Perry, holding a daisy, kissed the ground alongside King, visibly moved by the experience.
Emotional Reflections and Messages Beyond the Flight
Lauren Sánchez, who is set to marry Jeff Bezos in Venice this summer, became emotional upon landing. She shared her feelings: “The Earth was so quiet, yet so alive. It made me feel connected. I just want to hug everyone.” She added with a smile, “I had to come back. I’m getting married. Not coming back would’ve been a bummer for me.”
Katy Perry described the experience as “the highest high” and compared it to a spiritual journey: “It’s about surrender, trust, and discovering the love you have for yourself. I’m really feeling the divine feminine right now.” Perry had been preparing for the flight by reading Carl Sagan’s Cosmos and studying string theory. She reflected, “I’ve always been drawn to astrophysics, astronomy, and the stars. We’re all made of stardust.”
Gayle King, co-host of CBS Mornings, admitted to being hesitant about being called an astronaut, saying, “I still get uncomfortable with that word. But they told me—if you go to space, you’re an astronaut.”
Joining Perry, King, and Sánchez on the flight were Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer, Amanda Nguyen, a civil rights activist, and Kerianne Flynn, a film producer, all invited by Sánchez.
Critics Question Motive Behind All-Female Flight
Although Blue Origin’s New Shepard program celebrated its 11th human mission, sending 52 people into space, the all-female flight sparked some controversy. Critics questioned whether the mission was more about publicity than genuine feminist progress. Actress Olivia Munn expressed her concerns, calling the mission “a bit gluttonous.” Speaking on Today with Jenna & Friends, she said, “There are so many urgent issues in the world. What are you going to do up there?”
Despite these criticisms, for those aboard the flight, the experience was deeply personal and transformative. The mission celebrated courage, connection, and, as Katy Perry put it, “the unknown.”
A Step Forward for Commercial Space Tourism
This flight is another step toward making space more accessible through commercial ventures. Jeff Bezos has long championed private space exploration, and Blue Origin’s successful missions continue to push the boundaries of space tourism. As more people are given the opportunity to experience space travel, the significance of these missions, both personally and for humanity, continues to grow.
This moment in history not only symbolizes personal milestones for the crew but also underscores the continued expansion of space tourism, making the cosmos a little closer to everyone.
