Blue Origin ’s New Shepard NS-31 mission safely returned to Earth after an 11-minute suborbital flight in space on April 13, carrying an all-female crew . The six-woman team included pop star Katy Perry , and Jeff Bezos ’ girlfriend Lauren Sánchez, among others. The crew was in space for approximately four minutes. They traveled to the Karman line (the spot separating Earth's atmosphere and space) 62 miles above the planet and experienced the glory of space. Blue Origin has shared videos of the crew being overjoyed by their space experience and the sheer joy as the women experienced weightlessness. The mission, which marks a milestone in commercial space travel, has sparked both celebration and debate.
The all-women crew has landed safely on earth, and they are indeed trailblazers as Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President, New Shepard said. Here’s everything you need to know about the six women of the NS-31 Crew!
Aisha Bowe
A former NASA rocket scientist, Aisha Bowe was among the six women to travel to space. An entrepreneur, and global STEM advocate, Bowe is also the first person of Bahamian descent to visit space. "We did it!!! WE DID SPACE, and it still doesn’t feel real!" Bowe said, upon landing back on Earth. Aisha Bowe is the CEO of STEMBoard, an engineering firm twice named to the Inc. 5000 list, and founder of LINGO, an edtech company aiming to equip one million students with essential tech skills. Her journey from a community college to space is indeed a testament to her big dreams and an inspiration to the future generation. Bowe said that she will be conducting a plant biology experiment with Winston-Salem State University to study how microgravity affects growth at the genetic level, while on the mission. “We're also flight-qualifying new hardware for future research paving the way for more accessible science in space,” she said in a note on Instagram.
Amanda Nguyễn
Amanda Nguyễn is a bioastronautics research scientist. She is the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut to travel to space. “What fulfilling a dream looks like. What justice feels like. I kept my promise. Touchdown,” Nguyễn wrote on Instagram, as she landed on Earth. A Harvard graduate, she has conducted research at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics, MIT, NASA, and the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. She has worked on the last NASA shuttle mission, STS-135, and the Kepler exoplanet mission. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded TIME’s Woman of the Year, for her advocacy for sexual violence survivors.
Gayle King
Gayle King is an award-winning journalist, co-host of CBS Mornings, editor-at-large of Oprah Daily, and the host of Gayle King in the House on SiriusXM radio. “I’m so proud of me right now,” Gayle King said, as she returned to Earth. The journalist also stressed the sisterhood she shares with her fellow crew members. “We are forever bonded, because you can't go through, what we went through to look out for each other, to help each other and not be changed by that. It really is a true sisterhood,” she told CBS. Gayle King, in her career spanning decades, has become a household name for being a compassionate interviewer, being able to break through the noise and create meaningful conversations.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry, the pop star, who hardly needs an introduction, kissed the ground, as she and her crew returned to Earth. The biggest-selling female artist in Capitol Records’ history and one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 115 billion streams, Katy Perry, sang the ‘What a Wonderful World’ song during the flight. In the video shared by Blue Origin, she can be seen holding a daisy in tribute to her daughter, Daisy. Katy Perry is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, who voices children’s right to health, education, equality, and protection. She also has her own Firework Foundation, a trust that empowers children in underprivileged families.
Kerianne Flynn
Kerianne Flynn is a film producer. She has had a successful career in fashion and human resources. She has been dedicated to community-building through board service and nonprofit work with The Allen-Stevenson School, The High Line, and Hudson River Park, during the last decade. Flynn, who grew up in a small town in Michigan, has always looked up at the stars with her grandfather. She has wondered about what is out there, and what is up there. She has produced films such as This Changes Everything (2018), which explores the history of women in Hollywood, and LILLY (2024), a powerful tribute to fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter.
Lauren Sánchez
An Emmy Award-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and pilot, Lauren Sánchez is also the girlfriend of Jeff Bezzoz. She is the Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, and mother of three. Jeff Bezos was reportedly on hand to open the capsule's hatch and hugged his fiancee. She became a licensed helicopter pilot in 2016. She founded the Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial film and production company. Sánchez wrote the New York Times bestselling children's book ‘The Fly Who Flew to Space’ in 2024. She has also won the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award in 2024 for her work in aviation, as a pilot and aviation businesswoman.
The all-female crew mark a historic milestone in space travel, and emphasized on gender diversity and representation. This is the first all-women crewed mission and the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova's historic solo journey in 1963. It is indeed a deliberate nod to empowerment, though some critics questioned the optics of a high-profile, celebrity-driven endeavor.
The all-women crew has landed safely on earth, and they are indeed trailblazers as Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President, New Shepard said. Here’s everything you need to know about the six women of the NS-31 Crew!
Aisha Bowe
A former NASA rocket scientist, Aisha Bowe was among the six women to travel to space. An entrepreneur, and global STEM advocate, Bowe is also the first person of Bahamian descent to visit space. "We did it!!! WE DID SPACE, and it still doesn’t feel real!" Bowe said, upon landing back on Earth. Aisha Bowe is the CEO of STEMBoard, an engineering firm twice named to the Inc. 5000 list, and founder of LINGO, an edtech company aiming to equip one million students with essential tech skills. Her journey from a community college to space is indeed a testament to her big dreams and an inspiration to the future generation. Bowe said that she will be conducting a plant biology experiment with Winston-Salem State University to study how microgravity affects growth at the genetic level, while on the mission. “We're also flight-qualifying new hardware for future research paving the way for more accessible science in space,” she said in a note on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbFk-wxjgi/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbFk-wxjgi/
Amanda Nguyễn
Amanda Nguyễn is a bioastronautics research scientist. She is the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut to travel to space. “What fulfilling a dream looks like. What justice feels like. I kept my promise. Touchdown,” Nguyễn wrote on Instagram, as she landed on Earth. A Harvard graduate, she has conducted research at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics, MIT, NASA, and the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. She has worked on the last NASA shuttle mission, STS-135, and the Kepler exoplanet mission. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded TIME’s Woman of the Year, for her advocacy for sexual violence survivors.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIcBCjyODYg/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIcBCjyODYg/
Gayle King
Gayle King is an award-winning journalist, co-host of CBS Mornings, editor-at-large of Oprah Daily, and the host of Gayle King in the House on SiriusXM radio. “I’m so proud of me right now,” Gayle King said, as she returned to Earth. The journalist also stressed the sisterhood she shares with her fellow crew members. “We are forever bonded, because you can't go through, what we went through to look out for each other, to help each other and not be changed by that. It really is a true sisterhood,” she told CBS. Gayle King, in her career spanning decades, has become a household name for being a compassionate interviewer, being able to break through the noise and create meaningful conversations.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIcohHoJPzX/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIcohHoJPzX/
Katy Perry
Katy Perry, the pop star, who hardly needs an introduction, kissed the ground, as she and her crew returned to Earth. The biggest-selling female artist in Capitol Records’ history and one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 115 billion streams, Katy Perry, sang the ‘What a Wonderful World’ song during the flight. In the video shared by Blue Origin, she can be seen holding a daisy in tribute to her daughter, Daisy. Katy Perry is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, who voices children’s right to health, education, equality, and protection. She also has her own Firework Foundation, a trust that empowers children in underprivileged families.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIaYaGQxtwr/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIaYaGQxtwr/
Kerianne Flynn
Kerianne Flynn is a film producer. She has had a successful career in fashion and human resources. She has been dedicated to community-building through board service and nonprofit work with The Allen-Stevenson School, The High Line, and Hudson River Park, during the last decade. Flynn, who grew up in a small town in Michigan, has always looked up at the stars with her grandfather. She has wondered about what is out there, and what is up there. She has produced films such as This Changes Everything (2018), which explores the history of women in Hollywood, and LILLY (2024), a powerful tribute to fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter.
Lauren Sánchez
An Emmy Award-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and pilot, Lauren Sánchez is also the girlfriend of Jeff Bezzoz. She is the Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, and mother of three. Jeff Bezos was reportedly on hand to open the capsule's hatch and hugged his fiancee. She became a licensed helicopter pilot in 2016. She founded the Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial film and production company. Sánchez wrote the New York Times bestselling children's book ‘The Fly Who Flew to Space’ in 2024. She has also won the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award in 2024 for her work in aviation, as a pilot and aviation businesswoman.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbRQFepGec/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbRQFepGec/
The all-female crew mark a historic milestone in space travel, and emphasized on gender diversity and representation. This is the first all-women crewed mission and the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova's historic solo journey in 1963. It is indeed a deliberate nod to empowerment, though some critics questioned the optics of a high-profile, celebrity-driven endeavor.
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