Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission will send six trailblazing women, including pop icon Katy Perry and journalist Gayle King, to the edge of space in a groundbreaking fusion of science and style.
At a Glance
- Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission launches April 14, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. EDT from West Texas
- The all-female crew includes Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn
- The 11-minute suborbital flight will reach 62 miles above Earth, offering several minutes of weightlessness
- Custom-designed flight suits and full makeup will be worn, merging fashion with space exploration
- The mission includes scientific experiments and aims to inspire future generations in STEM fields
A Star-Studded Crew Prepares for Liftoff
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-31 mission is poised to make history as it carries an all-female crew to the edge of space. The diverse team comprises pop superstar Katy Perry, CBS journalist Gayle King, pilot and entrepreneur Lauren Sánchez, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. This marks the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963, according to Blue Origin.
Watch Blue Origin’s official livestream of the NS-31 launch.
Fashion Meets Function in Space
The crew will don custom-designed flight suits created by Lauren Sánchez in collaboration with fashion designers Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim. These suits blend elegance with utility, featuring symbols that represent each crew member’s profession and the NS-31 insignia. According to The New York Post, the design emphasizes both simplicity and flair, drawing inspiration from motocross and ski suits.
Katy Perry expressed her excitement about the unique mission, declaring, “Space is going to finally be glam.” The inclusion of full makeup and SKIMS-brand undergarments reflects the mission’s commitment to merging fashion with exploration—an effort to prove that femininity has a place even among the stars.
Scientific Endeavors and Symbolic Significance
The NS-31 mission is not just a cultural milestone—it also includes several scientific experiments developed in collaboration with academic institutions and research partners. As reported by Page Six, experiments will focus on biomedical data collection and material performance under suborbital conditions.
Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer and Founder of STEMBoard, will become the first Black woman to travel to space aboard a Blue Origin flight. Her participation underscores the mission’s broader aim: to break barriers and inspire underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers, as noted in Wikipedia’s entry on Bowe.
Final Preparations Underway
The NS-31 crew has completed rigorous training, including zero-gravity flights, emergency procedures, and psychological conditioning to prepare for the high-stakes launch. Each member has a personal item weight limit and has selected mementos to bring aboard. According to The Sun, they’ve also learned specific safety phrases to use in the event of an emergency.
As launch day nears, the mission stands as a powerful testament to the evolution of space exploration. It’s no longer just about technology and endurance—it’s about making room for self-expression, empowerment, and inclusivity, proving that glamor and grit can indeed share the same orbit.
