Blue Origin has revealed that Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez will be part of an all-female crew for their upcoming mission, joining three other women. The 11th crewed flight of the New Shepard rocket, owned by Jeff Bezos’ company, is scheduled to launch this spring, although a specific date has not been announced.
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The announcement was made on CBS Mornings with a playful, Star Wars-inspired visual. King, who is 70, initially declined the invitation to fly but later decided to participate. Joining her on this mission will be former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and movie producer Kerianne Flynn.
New Shepard recently completed its 10th crewed flight near Van Horn, Texas. These short flights, lasting about 11 minutes, reach an altitude just above 100 kilometers (62 miles), which is recognized as the boundary between Earth and space. The autonomous spacecraft allows passengers to experience a few moments of weightlessness and stunning views before safely returning to the ground using three large parachutes to slow its descent.
New Shepard is named after Alan Shepard, the first American to travel into space. While the ticket price isn’t listed on Blue Origin’s website, flying on New Shepard is expected to cost well into the six figures. Prospective travelers are informed that a fully refundable deposit of $150,000 USD is required to initiate the ticketing process.
