On Monday morning in West Texas, excitement crackled around Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket as it readied for liftoff.
Under a pale sky, the vehicle stood ready to carry an unprecedented all-female crew on an 11-minute suborbital voyage.
A Star-Studded Lineup
At the heart of this historic flight were six extraordinary women.
Leading the charge were Lauren Sánchez—partner to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—and pop icon Katy Perry.
Joining them were CBS morning show co-host Gayle King; civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen; filmmaker Kieranne “Kiki” Flynn; and NASA engineer Aisha Bowe.
Together, they embodied a diverse tapestry of talent and ambition, each ready to taste weightlessness on a brief journey above the atmosphere.
Touching the Edge of Space
New Shepard’s capsule isn’t designed for orbit—it’s built to cross the Kármán line (about 62 miles up) and deliver a few precious minutes of microgravity.
After liftoff at 9:30 am ET, the rocket’s BE-3PM engine—burning liquid hydrogen and oxygen—generated roughly 50,000 kg of thrust, leaving only water vapor in its wake.
In just minutes, the vehicle surpassed Mach 2, accelerating past 2,000 mph.
The Peak of the Ride: Max‑Q and Weightlessness
As the rocket ascended, it encountered its highest aerodynamic stress—known in aerospace engineering as Max‑Q—challenging both the craft and its passengers.
Moments later, the capsule entered microgravity, granting Sánchez, Perry, King, Nguyen, Flynn, and Bowe about three minutes of weightlessness and an unparalleled view of Earth’s curvature.
A Nod to History—and to the Future
This mission marks the first all-woman crew to journey to space since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963.
It also represents Blue Origin’s 31st New Shepard launch since 2015.
As the astronauts prepared for reentry, Bezos’s voice came through: “When you get back, I want to hear how it has changed you. I love you all.”
On the live stream, Sánchez noted that Bezos himself had returned from his own flight feeling “more grounded.”
What’s Next?
With a successful splashdown behind them, these six women will share their experiences and insights, contributing to future missions and inspiring a new generation of space travelers.
Their journey highlights both how far we’ve come and the possibilities that lie ahead for women in space.