Blue Origin, the private aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced the crew for its upcoming space mission, and it’s a lineup that’s out of this world.
The crew includes a number of high-profile individuals, including CBS Morning co-anchor Gayle King, pop superstar Katy Perry, and Bezos’s fiancee, Lauren Sanchez.
Taking to her Instagram handle, Katy Perry shared her excitement about being a part of the first all-female crew set for the upcoming space mission.
“If you had told me that I would be part of the first-ever all-female crew in space, I would have believed you. Nothing was beyond my imagination as a child. Although we didn’t grow up with much, I never stopped looking at the world with hopeful WONDER! I work hard to live my life that way still, and I am motivated more than ever to be an example for my daughter that women should take up space (pun intended),” she wrote.
She added, “That’s why this opportunity is so incredible — so that I can show all of the youngest & most vulnerable among us to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively. I am honored to be among this diverse group of celestial sisters.”
According to Blue Origin, Sanchez “brought the mission together” and will lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create a lasting impact that will inspire generations to come, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
This mission marks the first all-female crew for one of Blue Origin’s flights and the 11th manned mission overall.
King will become the second network morning show host to fly into space on one of the company’s rockets, following in the footsteps of Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan, who joined a crew in 2021.
The crew will also include former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
The mission is scheduled to take place in the spring, although a specific date has not been set, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft will take the crew above the Karman line, 62 miles above the Earth, which is widely recognized as the boundary between the atmosphere and outer space.
Bezos’ company has a history of partnering with high-profile individuals to drive awareness of its spaceflight capabilities.
Bezos himself was on the first manned launch in 2021, and the company has also flown other notable figures, including Strahan and Wally Funk, an 82-year-old aviator who became the oldest person to fly in space.
