Topline<\/p>\n
An all-female crew including pop star Katy Perry, broadcast journalist Gayle King and Jeff Bezos\u2019 fianc\u00e9e Lauren Sanchez safely returned from space on Monday after a brief flight manned by Blue Origin, marking the company\u2019s latest star-studded venture into space.<\/p>\n
Katy Perry and Gayle King among the star-studded New Shepard crew.<\/p>\n
Blue Origin <\/p>\n
Key Facts<\/p>\n
Perry, King and Sanchez were joined Monday by scientists Amanda Nguyen and Aisha Bowe, as well as independent film producer Kerianne Flynn, marking the first all-female space trip since 1963.<\/p>\n
The mission took flight on Blue Origin\u2019s New Shepard vehicle, which has already carried several celebrities to space and can reportedly cost passengers millions.<\/p>\n
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: <\/strong>We\u2019re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day\u2019s headlines. Text \u201cAlerts\u201d to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n When Did Blue Origin Launch New Shepard And How Can I Watch It?<\/p>\n Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket from the company\u2019s facility in West Texas at about 9:30 a.m. on Monday. Coverage and video of the launch are available on Blue Origin\u2019s social media channels<\/a> and its website<\/a>.<\/p>\n How Long Was Blue Origin\u2019s Space Mission\u2014and Where Did They Go?<\/p>\n The roughly 10-minute flight<\/a> took the crew just above the K\u00e1rm\u00e1n line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. New Shepard\u2019s rocket achieved a maximum velocity roughly three times the speed of sound during its ascent to an altitude of more than 346,000 feet, where the spacecraft\u2019s capsule began its descent toward the Texas desert. The spacecraft\u2019s booster separated just before the apogee\u2014the highest point of the flight\u2014was reached and landed about a minute before the capsule. The capsule deployed parachutes before landing near Blue Origin\u2019s launch site just after 9:40 a.m. EDT, and Bezos was among the company\u2019s recovery staff to welcome the crew back to Earth. There were no pilots on board, as the rocket is fully autonomous.<\/p>\n Why Are Katy Perry And Gayle King Going To Space?<\/p>\n The space mission is the latest flight on Blue Origin\u2019s New Shepard vehicle, which was created for commercial space flights and is a key figure in the growing, and costly, space tourism industry. In a cover story about the space mission, Perry told Elle<\/a> she has \u201cwanted to go to space for almost 20 years\u201d and wanted to make space \u201cglam.\u201d She told the Associated Press<\/a> she has \u201calways been interested in astrophysics and interested in astronomy and astrology and the stars,\u201d adding she wants to \u201cinspire young girls to go, \u2018I\u2019ll go to space in the future.\u2019\u201d The crew members told Elle they wanted to set an example for women in space exploration, citing statistics that only about 11% of all people to travel to space<\/a> have been women.<\/p>\n Which Celebrities Has Blue Origin Taken To Space?<\/p>\n Bezos, the world\u2019s second-richest person and the founder of Blue Origin, went to space on a New Shepard flight in July 2021, the spacecraft\u2019s first mission with a crew. Bezos was joined by his brother, Mark Bezos, aviator Wally Funk and then-18-year-old Oliver Daemen. Daemen was selected to join the mission after crypto billionaire Justin Sun<\/a> won an auction for a whopping $28 million to join the crew, but deferred<\/a> his flight due to scheduling conflicts. Actor William Shatner<\/a> flew to space on a New Shepard rocket in October 2021, becoming the oldest person to travel to space, while television host and former NFL player Michael Strahan participated in a New Shepard flight in December 2021.<\/p>\n How Much Does A Blue Origin Flight Cost?<\/p>\n Tickets for travel on Blue Origin\u2019s flights can cost millions. To reserve a seat, customers must fill out a form<\/a> on the company\u2019s website that includes a deposit of $150,000. Coby Cotton, a YouTube star who co-founded the popular Dude Perfect channel, flew on a New Shepard rocket in August 2022, and Quartz reported<\/a> his seat cost $1.25 million. Blue Origin has not publicized how much it charges for space flights, though Observer reported<\/a> the company has offered some flights at no cost, while charging others steeper prices. \u201cIt\u2019s not about money; it\u2019s about who you are, your social capital, whether you align with their launch purposes,\u201d Roman Chiporukha, co-founder of SpaceVIP, which helps wealthy people book space trips, told Observer.<\/p>\n Tangent<\/p>\n The space flight prompted mixed reactions. Actress Olivia Munn<\/a> criticized the space trip in an appearance on \u201cToday with Jenna & Friends\u201d last week, calling it \u201cgluttonous.\u201d \u201cIt’s so much money to go to space,\u201d Munn said, adding there are \u201ca lot of people who can’t even afford eggs.\u201d Some social media users have reacted to the upcoming trip with concern. One TikTok video<\/a> praising the space flight garnered 3 million likes, though many of the most-liked comments are from users stating they are anxious about the trip.<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n