Blue Origin crew safely back on Earth after all-female space flight

Pop star Katy Perry and five other women returned safely from space. They traveled aboard Jeff Bezos' rocket.

The singer was joined by Lauren Sánchez, Bezos's fiancée, and CBS presenter Gayle King. King said a highlight was hearing Perry sing "What a Wonderful World."

The New Shepard rocket launched from West Texas at 08:30 local time. The flight lasted about 11 minutes, reaching over 100km (62 miles) above Earth. This crossed the boundary of space and allowed moments of weightlessness.

Other passengers included former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, activist Amanda Nguyen, and producer Kerianne Flynn.

The capsule landed softly on Earth with parachutes. The rocket booster also returned to Texas.

Cheering erupted inside the capsule as the recovery crew approached. Jeff Bezos opened the door to welcome back Lauren Sánchez first.

"I'm so proud of this crew," she said tearfully. "I can't put it into words." She added that they saw the moon from their window.

"Earth looked so quiet," she noted, describing it as alive yet peaceful. Next out was Katy Perry, who kissed the ground and lifted a daisy skyward.

Gayle King also knelt to kiss the ground. "I just want to appreciate the ground for a second," she said.

Kerianne Flynn was last to exit, pointing at the sky and shouting, "I went to space!" A celebrity audience watched from below.

Khloé Kardashian expressed her emotions about the launch. She felt adrenaline and excitement while standing there.

"Whatever you dream of is within reach," she encouraged others to dream big. Oprah Winfrey spoke about her friend Gayle King's fear of flying.

King has anxiety during flights and often seeks comfort from others during turbulence. This flight represented her overcoming that fear.

The spacecraft operated autonomously without pilots or manual controls. Blue Origin noted that no all-female spaceflights had occurred in over 60 years since Valentina Tereshkova's solo mission in 1963.

Women have made significant contributions in space since then but not in all-female crews until now. The space tourism industry is still developing; each successful launch shows commercial flights can be safe.

Critics argue these missions focus on tourism rather than scientific research for humanity's benefit. Dr Kai-Uwe Schrogl from ESA commented on celebrities taking attention away from professional astronauts.

In a news conference after landing, Gayle King addressed criticism regarding costs associated with their mission. She emphasized positive responses from young women inspired by their journey.

Lauren Sánchez expressed frustration over critics and invited them to see Blue Origin's dedicated employees firsthand. Blue Origin is a private company founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000.

While ticket prices are not fully disclosed, a $150,000 deposit is required for reservations—highlighting exclusivity in early flights. The company aims to develop reusable rockets and lunar landing systems alongside its tourism business.

The New Shepard rocket is designed for reusability with vertical landings after each flight, reducing costs overall. US law mandates comprehensive training for astronauts before missions begin.

Blue Origin trains its New Shepard passengers over two days focusing on fitness and safety protocols for zero gravity conditions. Two support members assist during missions: one guides astronauts while another maintains communication with control rooms.

Space tourism faces criticism for being exclusive and environmentally harmful despite supporters claiming it accelerates innovation accessibly. Professor Brian Cox believes collaboration between NASA and private firms benefits society’s expansion beyond Earth’s limits.

Rocket exhaust can impact Earth's climate negatively due to gases released into the atmosphere during launches. Blue Origin claims its engine produces only water vapor without carbon emissions during flights under "Protecting our Planet."

However, experts like Eloise Marais warn that water vapor can also affect climate change by altering stratospheric chemistry and depleting ozone layers as more rockets launch into space increases risks further harming our environment.

High costs make space tourism inaccessible for most people; many cannot afford such expensive missions at all levels of society today.
Critics like actress Olivia Munn highlighted economic disparities saying some struggle even with basic necessities like eggs while others go to space.