Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Celebrity Lineup Joins Historic All-Female Blue Origin Space Mission
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, and Gayle King have united with the rest of their pioneering all-female Blue Origin space crew for an exclusive feature with ELLE magazine. This diverse team, poised for a suborbital flight, includes former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyễn, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. They recently convened in person for the first time to mark their upcoming April digital cover, having previously only connected virtually in preparation for their space voyage scheduled for April 14.
Assembling the Crew for a Historic Spaceflight
The women expressed enthusiasm about finally meeting face-to-face after months of video conferences leading up to their momentous space expedition. Lauren Sanchez emphasized the storytelling capabilities within the group, stating, “All of these women are storytellers in their own right. They’re going to ascend to space and be able to disseminate what they felt in diverse ways.”
Glamour in Zero Gravity: A New Frontier
The crew humorously acknowledged the unprecedented nature of their mission regarding space travel aesthetics. As interviewer Sylvia Obell pointed out, this flight marks a potential “first time anybody went to space with their hair and makeup done.” Katy Perry playfully remarked, “Space is going to finally be glam. Let me tell you something. If I could take glam up with me, I would do that. We are going to put the ‘a**’ in astronaut.” Aisha Bowe detailed her proactive approach to ensuring her appearance remains intact during flight, “I also wanted to test out my hair and make sure that it was okay. So I skydived in Dubai with similar hair to make sure I would be good—took it for a dry run.” Amanda Nguyễn underscored the significance of presenting a multifaceted image, “I think it’s so important for people to see us like that. This dichotomy of engineer and scientist, and then beauty and fashion… We contain multitudes. Women are multitudes. I’m going to be wearing lipstick.”
Anticipation and Excitement for the Journey
Katy Perry hinted at the possibility of a celestial vocal performance, responding to Lauren Sanchez’s suggestion that she should “sing up there.” Filmmaker Kerianne Flynn added, “You’d be the first [music artist] in space to sing,” prompting Katy to affirm, “I feel like I should.”
Initial Reactions to the Space Invitation
Recalling her initial reaction to the space flight invitation, Katy Perry quipped, “I was like, What am I going to wear? But seriously, I have wanted to go to space for almost 20 years. I was investigating all of the possible commercial options. Even when Blue Origin was first talking about commercial travel to space, I was like, ‘Sign me up! I’m first in line.’ And then they called me, and I was like, ‘Really? I get an invite?'” She further explained her sense of destiny when she saw the feather emblem on the space pod, a symbol of her mother’s nickname for her.
Navigating Trepidation and Excitement
Gayle King conveyed a contrasting initial sentiment, admitting, “I’m probably the only one at the table who wasn’t saying, ‘Put me in, coach.’ I had a lot of trepidation — I still do — but I also know it’s very interesting to be terrified and excited at the same time.” She likened the experience to childbirth in terms of stepping outside her comfort zone. Aisha Bowe shared her past reservations about space travel, “I wanted to go to space, but I didn’t think it was possible. I was afraid to do it. I was afraid to even dream about it. And so when I got the call, I realized that it wasn’t ‘No’ back then — it was ‘Not right now,’ and now is the time.” Amanda Nguyễn described the opportunity as “a dream come true, and for me it was a dream deferred.”
Dreams Deferred and Realized
Amanda Nguyen elaborated on her personal journey, “I worked at NASA, I studied the stars — astrophysics at Harvard and MIT — but life got in the way. Gender-based violence is a big reason why so many women in STEM don’t continue on with their training, and I was one of those women. After I was sexually assaulted, I traded my telescope to fight for my rights as a sexual assault survivor. I drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, passed it in Congress and at the United Nations. And then, after 10 years, I was like, I want to honor the person that I was before I was hurt.” Kerianne Flynn expressed lifelong anticipation, “I’ve been waiting to do this for a long time. I grew up in a small town in Michigan, and I always looked up at the stars with my grandfather. I can’t wait to touch down on Earth and share what we bring back with the world.”
Historic Significance of the NS-31 Mission
The Blue Origin Flight NS-31 is noted as the first space crew comprised entirely of women since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963. It also represents one of the most diverse groups of women to venture into space simultaneously. The entire suborbital journey is projected to last approximately 11 minutes, utilizing a self-piloting rocket, allowing the crew to fully experience the flight as passengers. Upon reaching space, they will experience about four minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth.
Mission Patch Symbolism
Blue Origin recently unveiled the NS-31 mission patch, embedding significant symbols representing each crew member.
- Fireworks: Symbolize Katy Perry’s global impact across music, culture, and philanthropy.
- Flynn the Fly: Represents the main character from Lauren Sanchez’s children’s book, inspiring children with learning differences.
- Scales of Justice: Embody Amanda Nguyễn’s civil rights advocacy and empowerment efforts.
- Target Star: Signifies Aisha Bowe’s ambitions in STEM and dedication to inspiring future generations.
- Shooting Star Microphone: Represents Gayle King’s commitment to impactful storytelling.
- Film Reel: Symbolizes Kerianne Flynn’s passion for filmmaking and narrative creation.
The NS-31 flight is scheduled to launch from Launch Site One in West Texas, with the New Shepard launch window opening at 8:30 a.m. CDT / 13:30 UTC.