In a groundbreaking stride for women’s representation in space, Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000, is set to launch its New Shepard rocket on mission NS-31 this spring. This flight, the 11th human spaceflight for the program and its 31st overall, will carry an all-female crew of six—a first of its kind since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.

The Crew of Six: Trailblazers Redefining Possibility

Katy Perry
A global pop superstar and the best-selling female artist in Capitol Records’ history, Perry is reaching for the stars. With over 115 billion streams and a role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Perry aims to inspire her daughter and women everywhere that they can “take up space.”

Lauren Sánchez
The mission’s driving force, Sánchez is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, pilot, New York Times bestselling author, and vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. Engaged to Jeff Bezos, she founded Black Ops Aviation and has earned the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award. Leading this crew, she’s honoring her vision to empower explorers and spark inspiration, proving women can helm the highest frontiers.

Gayle King
An award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings, King is also an editor-at-large for Oprah Daily. Approaching the mission with a mix of excitement and fear, she sees it as a new chapter after turning 70, hoping to step out of her comfort zone.

Aisha Bowe
A former NASA rocket scientist and CEO of STEMBoard of Bahamian heritage, Bowe is shattering ceilings in tech and space. Through her edtech company LINGO, she’s working to equip one million students with skills for the future. She aims to be a role model for young women—especially from underrepresented communities—to show that no dream is too big.

Amanda Nguyen
A bioastronautics researcher and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Nguyen will become the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee for her advocacy for sexual violence survivors, she sees her flight as a symbol of U.S.-Vietnam reconciliation and science as a tool for peace.

Kerianne Flynn
A film producer and nonprofit advocate, Flynn uses storytelling to spark change. Her work on projects like LILLY, about fair-pay activist Lilly Ledbetter, reflects her commitment to equity. As a mom, she hopes her flight inspires her son and the next generation of dreamers to aim high.

Each crew member brings personal motivations to the flight. Katy Perry connects her childhood imagination to this leap, encouraging women everywhere to dream without limits, while visionary leader Lauren Sanchez sees it as a platform to uplift others. Gayle King’s courage at 70 proves age is no barrier to being bold. Bowe and Nguyen, from underrepresented backgrounds, embody resilience and representation. Flynn’s hope for her son reflects the ripple effect of empowered women on future generations.

The Mission: Empowerment at 62 Miles High
Launching from West Texas, the New Shepard—a fully autonomous, reusable rocket named for astronaut Alan Shepard—will carry the women past the Kármán line—62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, widely recognized as the boundary of space. The 11-minute journey offers a brief period of weightlessness and a view of Earth through expansive windows—a mission to “challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their stories, and create lasting impact,” according to Blue Origin.

With no pilots or assigned roles—just six equal crew members—this flight underscores the ethos of collective strength. Since its debut crewed mission in 2021, which carried Jeff Bezos and his brother Mark, New Shepard has flown 52 people into space, including icons like William Shatner and Emily Calandrelli, the 100th woman to cross the Kármán line.

A Legacy of Women in Space
This all-female mission builds on a legacy of women in space. NASA has trained 61 female astronauts since its inception, and first all-female spacewalk with astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir in 2019 set a precedent. In November 2024, engineer Emily Calandrelli became the 100th woman to venture into space on Blue Origin’s NS-28 mission. Now, NS-31 is elevating that legacy further with an all-female crew, signaling how far we’ve come—and how far we have yet to go.

While Blue Origin has not announced an exact launch date, the mission is slated before Katy Perry’s “Lifetimes Tour” begins on April 23. As the company, now led by former Amazon exec Dave Limp, continues to innovate with reusable rocket technology, NS-31 promises to be a milestone in space exploration—one that celebrates women’s contributions and inspires the next generation to reach for the stars. As Sánchez leads this crew skyward, they’re not just crossing the Kármán line—they’re redefining the sky’s limits for women worldwide.