Blue Origin will be breaking history with its upcoming NS-31 mission, which has an all-female crew on the New Shepard spacecraft. Pop singer Katy Perry will be part of the team, taking off in spring 2025 as the first female crew to fly into space since pioneering solo mission pilot Valentina Tereshkova flew in 1963. As part of its record-breaking feat to honor gender equality in spaceflight, the mission also aims to motivate future female space travelers and astronauts.
Blue Origin mission to carry Katy Perry, Gayle King, and Lauren Sanchez to go to space
The NS-31 flight will be the day that gender equality in space travel comes to a new milestone. The all-women crew is a testament to a monumental leap in the representation of the diverse population that can be involved in space travel. Tereshkova, the Soviet cosmonaut, was the first woman to fly solo in 1963. Today, over six decades since she flew, the NS-31 mission will be in the books as it invites the new generation of female pioneers to space as per reports.
Katy Perry, the popular pop artist and top-selling singer with a history of hit songs and huge sales, celebrated the exciting new endeavour. With over 115 billion streams sold globally, Perry is among the top-selling artists of all time. In a statement provided by Blue Origin, she had stated, “I hope my journey inspires my daughter and others to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.” It reflects that she thought representation works and wants to inspire future generations of women to aspire to do great things in areas stereotypically dominated by men, i.e., space travel.
Source: Blue Origin
Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sanchez leads NS-31 mission with other crew
According to the reports, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, ex-news correspondent Lauren Sanchez leads the NS-31 mission.
Sanchez came under acclaim for putting together the talented, multicultural crew of the flight. Besides Perry, other notable individuals on the mission include CBS anchor Gayle King, civil rights leader Amanda Nguyen, movie producer Kerianne Flynn, and former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe. Both of them bring pertinent expertise and activism to the cause, which aims to challenge the thinking and inspire a new generation of space travelers. New Shepard Rocket and the Suborbital Experience Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket can offer suborbital flight, giving the traveler the experience of weightlessness for about four minutes.
NS-31 mission will deliver stunning Earth views
Passengers will also enjoy the privilege of seeing awe-inspiring views of our world from outside the Karman line, generally considered to be the edge of space.
The rocket is computerized with no pilot on board, and the entire flight takes around 11 minutes. The upcoming NS-31 mission will be the eleventh crewed flight on the New Shepard rocket, joining the ranks of previous flights that had been blessed by celebrities William Shatner and Michael Strahan. In addition to her music, Katy Perry is a prolific philanthropist. She has lent her name to numerous causes, most prominently through service as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She also established the Firework Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to empower disadvantaged youth by giving them access to the arts. Her support of the NS-31 mission serves to contribute to her reputation as an international champion of good.
A historic milestone for women in space
The mission is a significant milestone for women to journey in space. Flight NS-31 will precede Perry’s Lifetime Tour, April 23 to November 11, 2025. Blue Origin has not made an official announcement about the exact date when the launch will occur, but the company assured it will be executed in spring 2025.
Lauren Sanchez, one of the most critical mission planners, said she was thrilled to fly such a huge flight.
In a statement, Sanchez shared, “I’m honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come.” Sanchez first revealed her plan to fly with an all-female crew in 2023 during an interview with Vogue, describing it as a way of “paving the way for women.”
Growing trend of celebrities in space and its impact on global inspiration
The Trending Trend of Celebrities in Space The NS-31 mission is one of a series of celebrity and high-profile space tourists, with others such as Michael Strahan, Jeff Bezos, and William Shatner having flown previously on Blue Origin’s New Shepard. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, also flew on a historic space mission on his company’s VSS Unity spacecraft in 2021. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has not yet embarked on a personal trip to space.
Also Read | Sunita Williams is returning to Earth on… : Know how and when NASA astronaut will return from space