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Blue Origin Rocket Launches Today with Katy Perry and All-Women Crew
In a historic step for space tourism and gender equality in STEM, Blue Origin is all set to launch an all-female crew into space today, featuring pop icon Katy Perry, along with other inspiring women from diverse fields.
The short suborbital flight, aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, will lift off from the company’s launch site in Van Horn, Texas.
What Time is the Blue Origin Launch?
The rocket is scheduled to launch today at 9:30 a.m. ET. The flight will last around 10 minutes, during which the crew will briefly cross the Kármán line, the recognized boundary of space, located 62 miles above Earth.
After reaching the edge of space and experiencing a few minutes of weightlessness, the capsule will descend back to Earth, landing gently in the Texas desert using parachutes.
Watch Live: Blue Origin's star-studded Launch
Who’s Going to Space?
The six women making this historic journey include:
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Katy Perry – Singer and global pop superstar
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Lauren Sánchez – Former journalist and fiancée of Jeff Bezos
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Gayle King – Co-host of CBS Mornings
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Aisha Bowe – Former NASA rocket scientist
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Amanda Nguyen – Space science researcher and activist
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Kerianne Flynn – Film producer
Why This Flight Matters
This launch marks Blue Origin’s 11th human spaceflight and is its first all-women crew mission. It’s also the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, flew solo back in 1963.
The mission is a powerful symbol of progress for women in science, technology, and exploration.
The rocket used, New Shepard, is fully autonomous and built for suborbital space trips. It accelerates at over three times the speed of sound, allowing for a quick journey beyond Earth's atmosphere and back.
How Much Does a Ticket Cost?
Although Blue Origin has not disclosed how much these celebrities paid for their seats, estimates suggest the price of a ticket on New Shepard can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
