Popstar Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez, the fiancée of Jeff Bezos, are set to venture into space on Monday as part of Blue Origin’s first all-female spaceflight. Joining them are broadcaster Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and aerospace entrepreneur and former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe.
The six women will launch aboard the New Shepard rocket from Blue Origin’s Texas site at 8:30 am local time. The suborbital mission, named NS-31, will last around 11 minutes, taking them just past the Kármán line — the 100-kilometre boundary that marks the edge of space — before safely returning to Earth. This mission is part of Blue Origin’s broader space tourism program, aiming to inspire future generations, and marks the first all-women spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo journey in 1963.
Mission details
During the flight, the crew will experience approximately four minutes of weightlessness, giving them the chance to float inside the capsule and gaze at Earth through panoramic windows. The descent will be slowed by parachutes for a gentle landing.
Lauren Sánchez, who is also leading the mission, said in an interview with Elle magazine that each participant was chosen for their ability to inspire others. Katy Perry, one of the world’s top-selling music artists, said she had dreamed of going to space for 15 years. “When Blue Origin first mentioned commercial space travel, I thought, ‘Sign me up.’ Then they actually invited me, and I was like, ‘Wait—really?’” she recalled.
Katy Perry’s 15 years dream
In a video posted to Instagram, Perry expressed her excitement: “I’ve dreamed of going to space for 15 years and tomorrow that dream becomes a reality. I’m SO honored to be alongside five other incredible and inspiring women as we become the first-ever all-female spaceflight crew!”
Adding to the spectacle, the crew will wear custom-designed flight suits by Monse, which blend high fashion with futuristic function — a detail Sánchez helped shape to reflect the mission’s unique style.
Despite reaching space, none of the six women will receive official astronaut status from the FAA, NASA, or the US military, which reserve the title for those meeting specific criteria.
New Shepard, developed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has already taken 52 people beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. Bezos was part of its first crewed mission in 2021. In 2022, actor William Shatner famously joined a later flight, becoming the oldest person to travel to space at age 90.