(NewsNation) – Six women launched into space on Monday, marking the first all-female flight into space in over half a century.
Members of the high-profile group — recording artist Katy Perry, journalists Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and movie producer Kerianne Flynn — blasted off on the quick up-and-down trip in Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.
Their trip, from launch to landing, lasted a little over 10 minutes. The fringes of space beckoned some 65 miles (105 kilometers) up, promising a few precious minutes of weightlessness.
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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the owner of the Blue Origin rocket company, met the capsule upon landing to open the door. Sánchez was first out of the capsule, with Katy Perry following close behind. Perry also kissed the ground upon exiting.
King, speaking about her fellow astronauts, said she feels "forever bonded" to the women.
"Now that I've done it, I really do feel that I can take on anything," she added. "Anything."
Blue Origin had announced the trip earlier this year. Although the flight has received wide attention for the gender of its crew, the first all-female journey beyond the atmosphere was accomplished by Soviet-era cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, in a 1963 solo mission.
The participants in this week’s flight nevertheless expressed excitement for the opportunity.
“I am feeling so grateful and grounded and honored to be invited and included with this incredible group of women,” Perry told The Associated Press last week.
This image provided by Blue Origin shows, first row, seated, from left: Lauren Sanchez and Kerianne Flynn and standing in back from left: Amanda Nguyen, Katy Perry, Gayle King and Aisha Bowe in West Texas. (Blue Origin via AP)
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The private mission has drawn scorn from critics like actress Olivia Munn, who say the project seems extravagant when compared to problems back on Earth.
Blue Origin doesn’t advertise its prices online but requires a $150,000 deposit per seat.
Despite what critics might say, it's not all fun and games. Nguyen, for example, is conducting three experiments in space to help future generations of astronauts. Her research includes testing how fast plants can grow in space and how astronaut suits handle moisture.
“Women, in the beginning of NASA, were barred from becoming astronauts, and one of the reasons cited was menstruation, but they didn’t have the data to back that up. So, my experiment will be gathering data, hopefully, to refute that,” Nguyen said recently.
A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket launches from Launch Site One in West Texas north of Van Horn on March 31, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin announced the crew in February. Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, picked the women who will join her on the spaceflight.
Blue Origin has flown tourists on short hops to space since 2021, after Bezos climbed aboard with his brother for the inaugural trip; the upcoming trip will be the company's 11th human spaceflight.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
