Blue Origin Makes History with First All-Female Space Crew Including Katy Perry, Gayle King and More [Video]

Blue Origin reached a new milestone on Monday with its first all-female crewed mission. The NS-31 flight lifted off from West Texas, carrying six women to the edge of space and back in just under eight minutes.

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The group included singer Katy Perry, CBS anchor Gayle King, aviation advocate and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, space policy expert and researcher Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. All six passengers traveled aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a short suborbital flight.

Supporters, including Perry’s fiancé Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy, were present for the launch. Oprah Winfrey, a close friend of King, also attended, along with Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian.

Ahead of the mission, the women spoke to Elle about their anticipation and preparation. Gayle King described the mix of emotions she felt leading up to the trip. “It’s both exciting and a little scary,” she said, comparing the feeling to stepping out of her comfort zone.

Katy Perry added a lighter note, mentioning how she and the crew were focused on feeling confident and ready. “If I could bring glam up with me, I would,” she told Elle.

Scientist Aisha Bowe shared that she tested her look in advance, even skydiving with a similar hairstyle to ensure she’d be comfortable and prepared for the conditions.