On April 14, an all-female crew led by singer Katy Perry will embark on a historic spaceflight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. This mission, the first all-female spaceflight since 1963, includes notable figures like Gayle King and Aisha Bowe. The flight will last 11 minutes, reaching 65 miles above Earth. Each crew member is undergoing rigorous training, including meditation, space simulations, and selecting personal items to take. They aim to present themselves glamorously during the flight, promoting the idea that women can embody both beauty and science. The crew also has safety phrases to communicate discomfort during the journey.
An all-female crew, led by singer Katy Perry, is set to launch into space aboard a Blue Origin rocket, marking a historic moment.
On the April 14 flight of New Shepard, Perry will be accompanied by notable figures including journalist Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights leader Amanda Nguyen, filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, and journalist and helicopter pilot Lauren Sánchez, who is engaged to Jeff Bezos, the owner of Blue Origin.
According to Blue Origin, this mission will be the 11th crewed flight for New Shepard and the first all-female crew in space since 1963.
The brief flight will last approximately 11 minutes, ascending to about 65 miles above Earth. The Kármán line, recognized as the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, lies at 62 miles; thus, while they will reach a significant altitude, the crew will not enter orbit.
Katy Perry, along with Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn, came together for a special ELLE digital cover in April, showcasing Blue Origin’s groundbreaking all-female space crew.
Celeste Sloman for ELLE
As the countdown to launch continues, the crew is actively preparing for the adventure ahead.
Meditation and space simulations
In their inaugural interview as a crew, King shared with ELLE that she is learning meditation techniques to help manage her pre-flight jitters.
“I’m beginning to meditate; I tried it years ago, but one of the other women suggested someone who could assist me. He will be coming to my home,” Gayle mentioned for the April digital cover. “I have sessions lined up before we depart to manage [my anxiety].”
Bowe remarked that she has intensified her preparations as the launch date approaches.
“I recently completed a NASTAR simulation, which allowed me to experience potential flight conditions,” Bowe relayed to ELLE. “Physical preparation is very crucial for me; I want my body to adapt to the sensations of the ascent. We have a fighter jet flight scheduled, and I’m incredibly excited about that.”
Flynn added that she is taking part in zero-gravity simulation flights to acclimate to the sensation of weightlessness.
Once they reach space, the women will have the opportunity to float freely inside the New Shepard rocket for a few minutes.
“I have undergone several zero-gravity simulation flights. They modify a Boeing 747 to fly in a parabolic trajectory, so during descents, we all float. This was to familiarize myself with weightlessness,” Flynn said. “I anticipate enjoying that moment in space. I also completed the NASTAR training in Philadelphia and experienced up to 5 G’s of pressure.”
Attending training camp in Texas
In the days leading up to the April 14 launch, the New Shepard team will convene at the Van Horn, Texas launch site for their final training sessions.
The first day of training will involve fitting the soon-to-be astronauts with custom flight suits and familiarizing them with the capsule they will occupy during the flight.
When Perry, King, and their colleagues enter a training capsule that mirrors the actual flight capsule, they’ll be able to see their seats for the first time, complete with name tags and patches designating their places.
Blue Origin staff will then walk the crew through what to expect in terms of sensations and sounds during the flight, pointing out camera locations, how to communicate with ground control, and where to find the oxygen masks.
“Our goal is for them to feel utterly at ease with every detail to the point where they are aware of camera placements within the vehicle, allowing them to capture any desired moments and truly prepare for the journey,” Blue Origin’s Sarah Knights shared with “Good Morning America” in 2021, when “GMA” co-anchor Michael Strahan flew aboard New Shepard.
Deciding what to bring to space
Each passenger on board New Shepard is permitted to carry a maximum of 3 pounds of items into space.
King noted that she is selecting photographs to take along, along with a keepsake from her grandson, whereas Perry plans to bring something alive to, “remind us of the beauty of Earth.”
Katy Perry is featured in a special April digital cover for ELLE, celebrating Blue Origin’s remarkable all-female crew.
Celeste Sloman for ELLE
Bowe mentioned her intention to bring the Apollo 12 flag, plant samples from Winston-Salem State University’s astrobotany lab, and dehydrated conch chowder, the national dish of the Bahamas.
Nguyen plans to include shells from the Malaysian island where her Vietnamese mother sought refuge after the fall of Saigon, alongside a handwritten note that reads, “Never ever give up.”
Sánchez intends to bring her children’s book mascot, a stuffed animal from “The Fly Who Flew to Space,” along with some personal keepsakes.
Learning the words to end a flight
As part of their preparation for this extraordinary flight, the New Shepard crew will also be instructed on two crucial phrases to use in case they feel unsafe or need to exit the flight.
Knights revealed that the important phrases are “time-out” and “I will not fly.”
Perry and her fellow Blue Origin crew members must voice those phrases by T-minus 2 minutes and 30 seconds before liftoff; beyond that point, the vehicle takes over, with the Blue Origin team indicating that halting the process can be risky.
Breaking barriers by bringing glam to space
The New Shepard’s all-female crew expresses a commitment to being glamorous in space and embracing that aspect of their journey.
“It’s crucial for people to see us in that light, combining the roles of engineer and scientist with beauty and fashion. We are multifaceted. Women embody diversity,” Nguyen shared with ELLE. “I plan to wear lipstick.”
Bowe mentioned she tested her planned hairstyle during a skydiving experience in Dubai, stating, “I also wanted to experiment to ensure it would hold up.”
“Space is finally going to be glamorous,” Perry added.