On Monday morning, six women including pop icon Katy Perry boarded a Blue Origin rocket in West Texas and took off on a short flight to space. The crew spent just over 10 minutes on the journey, experiencing those minutes of weightlessness before they safely returned to Earth.
What made this flight stand out, though, wasn’t just the celebrity presence. This was the first time in over six decades that an all-women team flew to space together. The last time anything close happened was in 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to orbit Earth, alone, on a Soviet mission.
The flight, on Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard rocket, climbed more than 100 km above Earth, crossing the Kármán line, the accepted boundary of space. With no pilot needed, the capsule was fully autonomous. Once back, it made a smooth landing with parachutes, cheered on by an emotional crowd that included Oprah Winfrey, Khloe Kardashian, and Kris Jenner.
Joining Perry were Lauren Sánchez, fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos; CBS anchor Gayle King; former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe; scientist and activist Amanda Nguyen; and producer Kerianne Flynn. Inside the capsule, Perry sang “What a Wonderful World” after their float through zero gravity, holding a daisy she brought for her daughter, also named Daisy.
The all-female Blue Origin team poses marking a historic moment in private space travelBlue Origin
Outside the capsule, reactions varied. Supporters praised the team for breaking barriers and inspiring young girls. Others called the mission a publicity event for the ultra-rich. Critics pointed out the steep price tag, with deposits starting at £120,000 (₹12.6 million) and some estimates putting the real cost per seat at over £400,000 (₹42 million).
Critics from the scientific community questioned whether such trips add value to space research. “It’s tourism, not exploration,” said one European space policy advisor. Meanwhile, Blue Origin says the goal is long-term: to make space more accessible through reusable rockets and infrastructure.
The all-female Blue Origin crew poses confidently capturing a landmark moment for women in private space travelBlue Origin
Still, for the women on board, the moment felt surreal. “I feel deeply connected to love,” Perry said after returning. Sánchez said seeing the moon from space brought her to tears. And King, who has a fear of flying, said the experience was her way of facing a lifelong fear.
No one’s calling it the future of space just yet. But for a few minutes, six women got to see the Earth from above and made history doing it.
JJ Perry praises the precision of the Indian stunt team while filming Toxic Instagram/toxic_themovie/kvn.productions 
John Wick director JJ Perry bets on Indian stunt crew for Yash starrer Toxic Instagram/toxic_themovie/kvn.productions
Raghav Chadha’s on air promise comes true as Parineeti Chopra confirms pregnancy with heartfelt post Getty Images 
Parineeti Chopra confirms pregnancy with Raghav Chadha after months of speculationGetty Images
Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles fuel dating rumours in Rome Getty Images 
Director, writer and producer Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum attend the photocall for "Blink Twice"Getty Images
Fans call out Taylor Swift connection as Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles stroll closely in RomeGetty Images 
The Krishna Raj bungalow named after Ranbir’s grandmother Krishna Kapoor carries decades of Bollywood legacy Getty Images 
Ranbir and Alia are expected to move into Krishna Raj with daughter Raha around DiwaliGetty Images 
Ranbir and Alia live at their Bandra apartment Vastu, where they also tied the knot in April 2022Getty Images 
Producer Namit Malhotra reveals how AI will make Ramayana resonate globally with native-language realism IMDB/Reddit 
Strictly Come Dancing has faced a series of scandals in recent years including drug and bullying allegations BBC 
The BBC said it would not comment on the ongoing Strictly Come Dancing investigationGetty Images