Blue Origin to Launch All-Women Crew, Including Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez, on Space Tourism Flight

Blue Origin is gearing up for a high-profile space tourism flight on Monday, sending an all-women crew, including pop star Katy Perry and Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sánchez, to the edge of space aboard its New Shepard rocket, Bloomberg reports.

The launch is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. New York time from Blue Origin’s West Texas facility. The flight will be approximately 11 minutes in duration, offering the crew a brief experience of weightlessness.

Joining Perry and Sánchez on the journey are CBS’s Gayle King, producer Kerianne Flynn, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, and Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist and advocate for survivors of sexual violence.

Lauren Sánchez first revealed her plans for the all-female spaceflight in a 2023 interview with Vogue, highlighting the remarkable achievements of her fellow crew members and their role in “paving the way for women.”

This flight follows in the footsteps of other high-profile individuals who have taken the brief trip to space with Blue Origin, including Jeff Bezos himself in July 2021, actor William Shatner in October 2021, and Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan in December 2021.

However, Blue Origin’s space tourism model has faced recent criticism, with actress Olivia Munn labeling the experience “a bit gluttonous” amidst economic hardship for many Americans. While Blue Origin keeps its seat prices confidential, competitor Virgin Galactic charges around $600,000 for a similar experience.

Despite the controversy, this 11th human spaceflight marks a significant moment for Blue Origin, coming on the heels of a successful orbital trip in January with its newer heavy-lift rocket, New Glenn. The company recently underwent a restructuring that included laying off approximately 10% of its workforce. CEO Dave Limp stated that the company is focused on the future, with goals including landing an uncrewed vehicle on the moon in 2025 and increasing the frequency of both New Glenn and New Shepard launches.