Space

All-Female Crew Completes Blue Origin Space Mission

APR 14 2025·Updated APR 15 2025

Story

Above: Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket carrying astronauts Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Kerianne Flynn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez lifts off April 14, 2025 in Van Horn, Texas. Image credit: Justin Hamel/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket launched its first all-female crew Monday. The rocket carried six passengers, including pop star Katy Perry, CBS host Gayle King, and company founder Jeff Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez on a 10-minute suborbital flight from West Texas.
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Foxnews
The New York Times
The mission marked the first all-female space crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight in 1963. The Blue Origin crew also included former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
The Associated Press
Business Insider
During the flight, Perry sang "What a Wonderful World" as the crew experienced approximately four minutes of weightlessness after crossing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space at 62 miles (100 km) above Earth.
Sky News
Guardian
The launch drew high-profile spectators, including Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, and Khloé Kardashian. Both Perry and King kissed the ground upon their return to Earth.
Sky News
The New York Times
Nguyen became the first Vietnamese woman in space, while Bowe became the first person of Bahamian heritage to reach space. Upon returning to Earth, Flynn described the trip as the "most incredible experience" of her life.
BBC News
The New York Times
The flight was Blue Origin's 11th human mission, bringing the total number of people flown by the company to 52, as part of Bezos' broader vision for enabling millions of people to live and work in space.
CNN
The New York Times

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This flight represents wasteful spending by wealthy individuals when there are pressing problems to solve on Earth. This journey amounts to expensive entertainment for celebrities rather than meaningful scientific advancement. It's plain and simple, tone-deaf extravagance given current global challenges.

Mensjournal

Narrative B

This mission was a significant step forward for women in space exploration, breaking barriers and inspiring future generations. The diverse crew demonstrated that space is becoming more accessible, and despite criticisms, their experience will advance space technology for Earth's benefit.

New York Post