Katy Perry is gearing up for an out-of-this-world adventure as she joins an all-female crew on a Blue Origin space mission. The pop star will be part of the NS-31 flight aboard the New Shepard rocket, alongside journalist Gayle King, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sanchez, the fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
This marks the first all-women spaceflight since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's historic solo mission in 1963. While an exact launch date has not been set, Blue Origin has confirmed the mission will take place this spring, ahead of Perry’s Lifetime Tour, which kicks off in late April.
The journey will last around 11 minutes, taking the passengers past the Kármán line, the internationally recognised boundary of space, where they will experience microgravity before returning to Earth. The flight is fully autonomous, meaning there will be no pilots on board.
Perry expressed her excitement about the mission, stating, “If you had told me as a child that I’d be part of the first all-female crew in space, I would have believed you. Nothing was beyond my imagination.” Fans have reacted with enthusiasm, with some joking that her journey should be broadcast in classrooms worldwide.
Lauren Sanchez, who played a key role in assembling the team, described the mission as an opportunity to shift perspectives and inspire future generations. She first announced plans for an all-women crew in 2023, emphasising the importance of paving the way for women in space travel.
Blue Origin has previously sent several high-profile figures to space, including William Shatner and Michael Strahan. This mission marks another milestone in the company’s growing legacy. Meanwhile, rivals in commercial spaceflight, such as Virgin Galactic and SpaceX, continue to develop their own ambitious projects.
As Perry prepares to soar beyond Earth, this mission highlights not just technological advancements but also the growing inclusivity in space travel, making it one for the history books.
