Many of you know of Space X, but did you know there are other space technology companies? Blue Origin is an American space technology company founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000. The company has launched 31 rockets, 11 of which have sent people into space. Blue Origin focuses on sustainability by reusing rockets and engines, burning fuel more cleanly, and creating a more sustainable supply chain. Launch 31 made history on Monday, April 14th, when the first all-female crew was sent into space, reaching around 346,000 feet. The entire mission lasted around 10 minutes. The spacecraft launched at 9:30 am Eastern and returned to Earth at 9:41 am, allowing them half that time in space to feel weightless. If you’re unfamiliar with some or all of the crew, meet the incredible women who just made history.
Katy Perry
If you have heard the song “Fireworks” or “California Gurls,” you know Katy Perry. After releasing another fan favorite, “E.T.,” in her album Teenage Dream 15 years ago, the beloved American singer could finally experience being in space! Just as many fans hoped, Perry sang a song while in space, however, instead of choosing one of her own she chose to sing Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” as told in an interview with Gayle King by CBS News.
Gayle King
Gayle King, the beloved broadcast journalist of CBS Morning News and author of “Note to Self: Inspiring Words From Inspiring People,” was another crew member. Fun fact: she has been close friends with Oprah Winfrey for almost 50 years since they met while working at the same television station in Baltimore.
Aisha Bowe
If you wondered where the qualified crew was on this mission, Aisha Bowe is your girl. The Bahamian-American aerospace engineer is a former NASA rocket scientist and founder of STEMBoard and STEMLINGO, whose purpose is for Tech Startup Mentorship and STEM education. She also advocates for entrepreneurship and space in other countries as a U.S. State Department Global Speaker. Fun fact: Bowe originally was going to pursue a career as a cosmetologist, as her high school counselor advised, before switching career paths. Thankfully, she listened to her gut and not her advisor.
Amanda Nguyen
Not only does Amanda Nguyen make history for being part of the first all-female crew to go into space, but she is also the first Vietnamese-American woman to do so. She is known for igniting the Stop Asian Hate Movement and founding Rise, a non-governmental civil rights organization. With the help of Rise, Nguyen helped pass sexual assault survivor rights in the United States and the United Nations.
Kerianne Flynn
Kerianne Flynn is an independent American film producer who co-produced the independent films “The Automatic Hate,” “This Changes Everything,” and “Lilly.“ She is deeply passionate about space exploration, having signed up in 2011 to visit space with Virgin Galatic spaceflight, which was supposed to launch a rocket in 2021.
Lauren Sanchez
If you only know her as the fiancé to Jeff Bezos or from her bold outfit choice at the 2025 presidential inauguration – let me tell you about her professional background. Lauren Sanchez is a broadcast journalist who co-hosted Good Day LA for several years. Besides being a journalist, Sanchez has been a helicopter pilot since 2016. She was a fixed-wing pilot for a few years before switching to helicopters. She founded Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial firm and production company, in 2016 after attaining her license.
Interested in feeling that sense of weightlessness and seeing Earth from a different perspective? Make sure to have deep pockets for the $150k deposit fee and millions for a seat on the ship.
If you missed the launch and haven’t seen the six in space, you can get a quick view here on CNN Science!