It was supposed to be a celebration of a groundbreaking space mission, but things took a slight turn when a moment on live television reminded viewers just how important words can be—especially when history is being made.
Dr. Mae Jemison, the legendary astronaut who broke barriers as the first Black woman in space, gently but firmly corrected CBS News anchor Vladimir Duthiers when he used the term “mankind” during a segment on the first all-female Blue Origin space flight.
Dr. Mae Jemison Doesn’t Let Language Slide
During their live discussion, Duthiers asked about the wider impact of space travel, posing the question:
“Why even a trip like this one, all the trips that we take into space, benefit mankind?”
Without missing a beat, Dr. Jemison responded with grace and clarity:
“First of all, it benefits humankind, and I’m going to keep correcting the ‘mankind’ and the ‘manmade’ and the ‘manned missions.'”
It was more than a correction—it was a reminder that representation starts with how we speak.
And for Jemison, whose own journey into space in 1992 helped redefine what’s possible, the language matters just as much as the mission.
All-Female Crew Rockets Into History
The powerful exchange happened in the context of a historic launch.
On Monday morning, Blue Origin sent six women into space, marking the first all-women crewed spaceflight since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.
Blasting off from West Texas, the team included pop icon Katy Perry, Gayle King from CBS, Lauren Sánchez (Jeff Bezos’ fiancée), civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, filmmaker Kieranne Flynn, and NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe.
For 11 exhilarating minutes, they soared beyond the Earth’s atmosphere aboard the New Shepard rocket, floated in zero gravity, and returned safely to the ground—making history and memories at the same time.
Katy Perry Steals the Show with Tears, Songs, and Dirt Kisses
Always one to go big, Katy Perry turned the landing into a celebration.
As soon as she exited the capsule, she dropped to the ground and kissed the Texas soil.
Several of her crewmates followed suit, visibly moved by the experience.
She held up a daisy flower and later explained its meaning, saying:
“Daisies are common, but they grow in any condition.
They’re resilient. They’re strong. They’re powerful.”
While floating in space, Perry even sang “What a Wonderful World”, sharing that the trip wasn’t about promoting her music but about creating space—literally and metaphorically—for more women.
“It’s about us. About making space for future women. About belonging,” she said.
A Flight Fueled by Science and Symbolism
The rocket’s BE-3PM engine, powered by liquid oxygen and hydrogen, pushed the capsule past 2,000 miles per hour, more than twice the speed of sound.
As the rocket hit Max-Q—the point of maximum aerodynamic stress—the women aboard experienced three times Earth’s gravity before reaching the peace and wonder of zero-G.
Despite the intense physics, there was a light-hearted moment when Jeff Bezos tripped in a ditch while rushing to open the capsule upon the crew’s return.
It was an unplanned stumble in an otherwise smooth operation.
Breaking Barriers and Changing the Narrative
This mission was Blue Origin’s eleventh crewed flight, but it was far more than just another launch.
It was a statement. A symbol. A reset of who gets to explore space—and how we talk about it.
And in that moment on live TV, Dr. Mae Jemison’s correction served as a quiet but powerful echo of the mission’s deeper purpose: to expand our understanding of who belongs in space, and how we tell those stories.