Blue Origin launches all-female spaceflight, first since the 1960s

Blue Origin, the commercial spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos, recently achieved a milestone in space history. On Monday, six women undertook a short journey to outer space, marking the first all-female spaceflight since the early 1960s, a feat accomplished with Blue Origin's new rocket, the New Shepard. The mission took off from Blue Origin’s launch facility in Van Horn, Texas, around 9:30 AM Eastern Time.

Among the crew was singer Katy Perry, accompanied by Gayle King, CBS Morning host, and Lauren Sanchez, former journalist and fiancée to Jeff Bezos. Also part of the mission were NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and movie producer Kerianne Flynn. The mission lasted approximately ten minutes, during which the crew crossed the Karman Line, an altitude recognized as the boundary of outer space.

This pioneering journey was witnessed by a prominent audience including Oprah Winfrey, NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps, former astronaut Mae Jemison, and celebrities Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner. Following the successful launch and landing, the capsule's descent utilized parachutes and concluded safely in the Texas desert.