Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez lead historic space mission
A female crew led by Lauren Sánchez and Katy Perry conquered space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket. The flight lasted approximately 11 minutes and took the participants over 100 kilometres above Earth, crossing the boundary into space. The participants safely returned to Earth.
Katy Perry, the well-known pop singer, along with five other women, including Jeff Bezos' fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, and CBS presenter Gayle King, completed their space adventure on the Blue Origin rocket. The flight lasted approximately 11 minutes and took the participants over 100 kilometres above Earth, crossing the boundary into space.
Historic flight of an all-female crew
This is the first all-female crew flight since 1963. The team also included Gayle King, co-host of "CBS Mornings," Aisha Bowe, former NASA specialist, Amanda Nguyen, bioastronautics scientist, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. Sánchez, a licensed pilot, was the mission leader.
During the flight, Gayle King highlighted that one of the most significant moments was hearing Katy Perry sing "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. After returning to Earth, Perry expressed her emotions, saying she felt "super connected to life" and "so connected to love."
The mission aimed not only at space exploration but also at changing the participants' perspectives and inspiring others to share their stories. Sánchez emphasised that the mission has a lasting impact that will inspire future generations.
Blue Origin vs. SpaceX and Virgin Galactic
Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' company, competes with Elon Musk's SpaceX for dominance in space tourism. Flights offered by Blue Origin allow for a short experience of weightlessness and viewing Earth from a height of over 100 kilometres. Previous missions included participants like William Shatner and Michael Strahan.
Blue Origin's biggest competitor is Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which offers flights at altitudes of 80-88 kilometres. Each of the six passengers pays approximately £365,000 for the trip. In the future, stratospheric balloon capsule flights are planned, allowing for longer views.
The women's space flight sparked mixed feelings
The journey sparked mixed reactions on social media. Dr. Tanya Harrison from the Outer Space Institute noted that some criticised the flight as a "marketing gimmick", but emphasised that it could change the demographics of people interested in space travel.
When asked by "People" about the criticism, the participants stated that critics do not understand what is happening.
King noted that the enthusiastic responses from young girls highlight the significance of their mission.
Sánchez, the fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, emphasised the commitment of the company's employees.
- I wish the critics could see how much heart the employees put into it - she said.
Sources: bbc.com, people.com, cyfrowa.rp.pl
