Pop superstar Katy Perry joined five other women on a historic journey to the edge of space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. This is the first all-female spaceflight in over 60 years.

Perry was accompanied by billionaire Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sanchez, veteran CBS host Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, activist and scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The mission was launched from Blue Origin’s West Texas facility at 9:31 AM ET on Monday.

The rocket, operated by Bezos’s aerospace company Blue Origin, soared more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth, crossing the Kármán line — the internationally recognized boundary of space. The passengers experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before the spacecraft returned safely to Earth in a journey that lasted approximately 11 minutes.

This was the latest civilian flight by Blue Origin, which began sending non-professional astronauts to space in 2021. Including Perry and her crew, a total of 58 individuals have now flown with the company.

Who can fly with Blue Origin?

Blue Origin’s spaceflights are open to civilians — as long as they’re 18 or older and can afford the high price tag. Interested individuals can apply through the company’s website by submitting a brief form with personal details and a 500-word self-description.

 

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