Courtesy: Fortune
VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Blue Origin launched a historic all-female spaceflight on April 14, 2025, marking the first such mission since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo journey in 1963. The NS-31 mission featured a diverse crew: pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen, filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, and pilot Lauren Sánchez, who led the mission.
The 11-minute suborbital flight aboard the New Shepard rocket reached the Kármán line, the recognized boundary of space, offering the crew a brief experience of weightlessness and a view of Earth’s curvature. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, stated the mission aimed to inspire future generations of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
“This journey was about showing young girls that the sky is not the limit,” said Sánchez, an Emmy-winning journalist and licensed pilot. Perry described the experience as “a dream realized,” emphasizing the importance of representation in space exploration.
While the mission was celebrated by many as a milestone for gender representation in space, it also faced criticism. Some public figures questioned the environmental impact and the exclusivity of space tourism. In response, King defended the mission’s intent, stating it was “about inspiration and breaking barriers.”
The NS-31 mission stands as a significant step toward inclusivity in space travel, highlighting both the achievements and the ongoing debates surrounding private space exploration.