Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, successfully launched its New Shepard rocket at approximately 9:30 a.m. ET on Monday. This mission is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism sector.
A notable aspect of this launch was its all-female space crew, marking the first such mission since 1963, when Soviet astronaut Valentina Tereshkova completed a solo flight. This launch represents the 31st journey of the New Shepard rocket and its 11th manned mission.
The crew for this launch included pop singer Katy Perry, “CBS Mornings” anchor Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe.
While the mission aimed to showcase women’s roles in astronautics, Blue Origin has faced criticism for being perceived as an exclusive venture for the affluent, especially given the current economic challenges in the United States.
Nonetheless, Perry shared a different perspective during an interview with CBS, stating, “It won’t be about me; it will be about the beautiful Earth we get to see. I think the perspective we’re all going to walk away with is, ‘Oh my gosh, we have to protect our mother.’”
However, the opportunity to view Earth from space requires participants to pay $150,000 to secure a seat on the rocket.
In recent developments, Blue Origin announced last month that it is preparing for a second launch of its New Glenn rocket, expected to take place in late spring.
