The expedition will be the first with an all-female crew since 1963 and includes Gayle King, Aisha Bowe and Lauren Sánchez
Katy Perry is about to conquer a new stage — and this time, it’s off-world. On Sunday, April 14, the singer will lead an unprecedented mission for Blue Origin, the spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos. Aboard the New Shepard spacecraft, Perry will be accompanied by a group of remarkable women on a flight lasting just 11 minutes that promises to make history.
The crew is made up of CBS journalist Gayle King, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, researcher and activist Amanda Nguyen, filmmaker Kerianne Flynn and pilot and Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez. Together, they will form the first all-female crew on a space mission since 1963.
Although the flight will not enter orbit — it will reach about 65 miles, passing the Karmán line, which marks the beginning of space — the feat is already considered a milestone.
Preparing for the launch
Before the big day, the team goes through a rigorous preparation process. In addition to zero-gravity training and flight simulations, some members have sought alternative ways to deal with nervousness. King, for example, has started practicing meditation to control anxiety. Bowe, who has a background in aerospace engineering, highlighted the importance of physical preparation. “I want my body to know what it will feel like when it goes up,” he said.
A few days before the launch, the team meets in Van Horn, Texas, for final acclimatization sessions. They receive customized suits and test an exact replica of the capsule in which they will travel. Everything is rehearsed: from the location of the internal cameras to the exact moment to activate an oxygen mask.
And what if someone feels unsafe? Blue Origin trained the group to say two decisive phrases within T – 2 minutes and 30 seconds: “time-out” or “I will not fly.” After that, control becomes automatic.
What to take into space
With a 3-pound limit on personal items, each participant chose objects of emotional value. Perry wants to take something alive, to remind “her how precious the Earth is.” Nguyen opted for seashells from the island where her mother sought refuge after the fall of Saigon, accompanied by a handwritten note: “Never ever give up.” Bowe will take a flag from the Apollo 12 mission and plant samples from a university laboratory.
And anyone who thinks science and style don’t mix is wrong. The crew made sure to bring glamour to space. Nguyen revealed that she will wear lipstick on the trip. Bowe tested the hairstyle on a skydive in Dubai to make sure it would withstand the effects of zero gravity. And Perry summed up the spirit of the mission: “Space is going to be glamorous, finally.”
