Historic All-Women Blue Origin Crew Returns Safely from Edge of Space

Blue Origin’s New Shepard mission NS-31 successfully launched from Launch Site One, West Texas, carrying an extraordinary crew of women: singer Katy Perry, pilot and journalist Lauren Sánchez, journalist Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyễn, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

The spaceflight took them 62 miles above Earth, crossing the internationally recognized boundary of space. The journey lasted eleven minutes, taking the crew to the edge of space and safely back to Earth. A video that went viral on social media captures the women feeling “weightless and limitless.”

The Blue Origin all-female crew, including Katy Perry, have launched into Space. pic.twitter.com/18Oo6GAnOa

— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 14, 2025

The crew caught a glimpse of both Earth and the Moon during their brief journey. According to Lauren Sánchez, “I looked out of the window, and we got to see the Moon.” She added, “Earth looked so quiet,” noting that it wasn’t what she had expected. “It was quiet, but really alive.”

After disembarking, Katy Perry kissed the ground and raised a Daisy to the sky—a touching tribute to her daughter, whose name is Daisy. Gayle King also got on her knees and kissed the ground. “I just want to have a moment with the ground, just appreciate the ground for just a second,” she said. Kerianne Flynn, the last to exit the capsule, pointed to the sky and shouted, “I went to space!”

The flight was autonomous, meaning there were no pilots on board and it operated without manual control.

The mission marked a significant milestone in the advancement of space tourism. During her time in space, Katy Perry sang What a Wonderful World, adding an emotional note to the historic experience.

This mission was notable for featuring the first all-female crew since 1963, comprising six distinguished women from various fields.

Beyond the thrill of the journey, the mission aimed to inspire future generations by highlighting women’s representation in space travel. It also promoted diversity and encouraged young people to pursue careers in space exploration.