In a groundbreaking announcement, Blue Origin has revealed that journalist Gayle King will be among the first all-female crew members on an upcoming space mission. The historic flight, set for this spring, will also include pop superstar Katy Perry, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics researcher Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez. The mission, part of Blue Origin’s New Shepard program, aims to promote diversity and inspire future generations of women in space exploration.
Gayle King Mixed Emotions
At 70 years old, King expressed both excitement and nervousness about the opportunity. “I don’t know how to explain being terrified and excited at the same time,” she shared, comparing her emotions to the anticipation of childbirth. Before making her final decision, King consulted with her children, Kirby and Will, as well as her longtime friend Oprah Winfrey. “Once Kirby and Will and Oprah were fine with it, I was fine,” she noted. Winfrey, in particular, encouraged her to take the once-in-a-lifetime chance, suggesting that she might regret passing it up.
King admitted that she had never envisioned herself going to space. “I am not one of those people who said, ‘Oh my God, I wish I could go to the moon,’” she revealed. “But when this opportunity came up, I thought, why not?” Despite her initial hesitations, King is eager to experience weightlessness and view Earth from a perspective only a few have seen firsthand.
A Historic All-Female Crew
This mission will be Blue Origin’s 11th human flight and will make history as the first all-female crewed spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963. Lauren Sánchez, who played a key role in assembling the crew, expressed her enthusiasm on social media: “I really see this group as explorers and storytellers, each of us about to be changed by a remarkable view of our beautiful planet.”
The New Shepard rocket, an autonomous spacecraft, will provide its passengers with a brief but transformative suborbital journey. The crew will experience a few minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth before returning safely.
Although the exact launch date has yet to be announced, anticipation for the mission continues to grow. This historic event will serve as a powerful reminder of the evolving role of women in space exploration, inspiring the next generation of female astronauts, scientists, and adventurers.