All-Female Crew Of 6 Bound For Space Aboard New Shepard

Blue Origin announced the crew members for its next human flight, NS-31. They are Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sanchez, who brought the mission together. She will lead a team of adventurers on a mission that will challenge their perspective of Earth and empower them to share their stories to create a impact that will inspire the people around them.

The NS-31 mission will be the 31st overall for the New Shepard program and the 11th with humans aboard. So far, the program has lofted 52 people above the Karman line considered by many to be the boundary between the atmosphere and space. This will be the first all-female spaceflight crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.

Aisha Bowe: Former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and STEM advocate. CEO of STEMBoard, a recognized engineering firm, and LINGO, an edtech company whose mission is to provide essential tech skills to one million students. She seeks to inspire young people from the Bahamas to pursue their dreams.

Amanda Nguyen: Bioastronautics research scientist, Harvard grad, researcher at Harvard Center for Astrophysics, MIT, NASA, and International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. She worked on STS-135, the final NASA Space Shuttle mission and the Kepler exoplanet mission. Being the first Vietnamese female astronaut, her flight symbolizes reconciliation between Vietnam and the U.S.

Gayle King: Award-winning journalist, co-host of CBS Mornings and host of Gayle King in the House on  SiriusXM radio. She is seeking to step out of her comfort zone and bring the experience to her audience.

Katy Perry: Biggest-selling female artist in Capitol Records’ history, philanthropist for many causes including UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and her own Firework Foundation which empowers young people from underserved communities through the arts. She hopes to encourage other girls and young women to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.

Kerianne Flynn: Successful career in fashion and human resources, nonprofit organizations, The Allen-Stevenson School, The High Line, and Hudson River Park. Passionate about the power of storytelling, she’s always been drawn to exploration, adventure, and space, and hopes her spaceflight inspires her son and others in the next generation to reach for the stars.

Lauren Sanchez: Emmy Award-winning journalist, NYT bestselling author, pilot, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. Certificated helicopter pilot, she began Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial film and production company. Won the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award in 2024 for her contributions as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman.

Blue Origin said the flight will take place this spring, but no date has been announced yet.

FMI:  www.blueorigin.com/