Gayle King and Katy Perry Join All-Female Crew on Blue Origin Rocket

Space company Blue Origin’s next mission will be powered by a history-making crew of heavy hitters, including journalist Gayle King, pop star Katy Perry and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez. 

Those three, plus former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn were announced as the program’s first all-female crew for a launch scheduled this spring, Blue Origin said in a press release on Thursday, Feb. 27. 

The company credited Sánchez, who is the fiancée of Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, for bringing the mission together. 

“She is honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come,” the company said.

King, 70, co-host of CBS Mornings, spoke about being one of the six new crew members on the upcoming Blue Origin flight on Thursday. 

“I don’t know how to explain being terrified and excited at the same time,” King said, CBS News reported. “It’s like how I felt about to deliver a baby.”

King acknowledged that flying to space wasn’t her initial dream. She consulted with her children and friend Oprah Winfrey before agreeing to join the mission. 

“Once Kirby and Will and Oprah was fine with it, I was fine,” King said. “I thought Oprah would say no, no. She said, ‘I think if you don’t do it, when they all come back and you had the opportunity to do it, you will be kicking yourself.’ She’s right.”

Sanchez reacted to the news in an Instagram post, writing that she was “beyond excited to share the news of my @BlueOrigin space flight this spring and the fearless explorers who are coming with me! Welcome aboard @gayleking @katyperry @amandangocnguyen @aishabowe @spacekerianne !”

“I really see this group as explorers,” she continued, “and storytellers, each of us about to be changed by a remarkable view of our beautiful planet. The countdown starts now! 🚀 #takingupspace.”

According to Blue Origin, the mission will be the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 31st in its history. So far, the company said the program has flown 52 people, including Star Trek actor William Shatner and Bezos himself. 

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Blue Origin also noted that this would be the first all-female flight crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.

No specific date was given on when the flight will take place.