Blue Origin Launches All-Female Crew Into Space

Amanda Nguyen, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, journeyed into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket on April 14, accompanied by an all-female crew, marking a significant milestone as they soared from the West Texas desert beyond the Karman line. This mission was a reflection of a promise she had made to herself more than a decade ago.

This commitment involved returning to space after temporarily sidelining her astronaut aspirations to advocate for civil rights, a vow represented during the flight by a piece of paper that read, “Never, never give up.”

A Harvard graduate, Nguyen has studied astrophysics, contributed to NASA’s research efforts, and participated in the last space shuttle mission and NASA’s Kepler exoplanet mission.

Nguyen’s dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after she became a sexual assault survivor in 2013. Following this event, she worked tirelessly to reform legislation by co-authoring the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act, which was enacted by Congress in 2016. She has shared her story at the United Nations and established a civil rights NGO named Rise, dedicated to supporting sexual assault victims and combating anti-Asian hate.

Her advocacy earned her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2019 and recognition as TIME Woman of the Year in 2022.

“I usually have nice words to say,” she noted in a post-mission interview, revealing her hospital wristband from her recovery journey. “But in this moment, I just want all survivors to know that you can heal. No dream is too wild, and if it’s as wild as going to space, you can absolutely make it through, and it can absolutely be possible.”

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During her brief flight, Nguyen conducted three experiments, one of which involved a new ultrasound patch developed by MIT Media Lab’s Women’s Health Initiative. This patch is designed for continuous musculoskeletal monitoring of astronauts, aiming to assess radiation exposure and potential skeletal changes like spine elongation in microgravity.

The patch has promising earthly applications as well, including ongoing monitoring and early detection of breast cancer.

Nguyen was not alone in this groundbreaking journey. She was accompanied by Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist and engineering honors award recipient, who became the first individual of Bahamian descent to travel to space.

Bowe, an entrepreneur and advocate for STEM, has represented the State Department as a global speaker in various countries, including South Africa, Croatia, and Mongolia. She took postcards from around the world into space and explored experiments related to plant biology and human physiology.

As the CEO of STEMBoard, an award-winning engineering firm, Bowe was recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of America’s fastest-growing companies. She also founded LINGO, an educational company aimed at equipping one million students with technological skills.

Bowe’s 92-year-old Bahamian grandfather traveled to Texas for the special occasion.

“I never really thought I could go to space, although I really wanted to, and today just confirmed that dreams are real and sometimes reality is wrong,” she remarked.

Alongside Bowe and Nguyen were Lauren Sanchez, an Emmy-award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and award-winning helicopter pilot; she serves as the vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund and founded Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial film and production company. Sanchez is also the fiancée of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin.

After stepping out of the capsule, Sanchez expressed her concern for her children, asking, “Where are my babies?”

The distinguished crew also included pop superstar Katy Perry, acclaimed journalist and CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, and philanthropist and film producer Kerianne Flynn. All three crew members kept their children in mind, with Perry carrying a daisy in honor of her daughter, Daisy. They intended for the flight to inspire future generations to literally reach for the stars.

King overcame her fear of flying to take part in the mission, crediting her friend Oprah Winfrey for supporting her decision. She also commended the extensive training the crew underwent with Blue Origin.

“I would say that we are forever bonded because you can’t go through what we went through, looking out for each other and helping each other, and not be changed by that,” she shared in a post-mission interview. “It really is a true sisterhood.”

While there was no live video from inside the capsule, known as Tortoise, audible cheers could be heard at every pivotal moment of the flight. The crew traveled over three times the speed of sound, reached a peak altitude of approximately 345,000 feet, and enjoyed four minutes of weightlessness.

Reportedly, in the final moments of their space journey, Perry began singing “What a Wonderful World.”

As the six astronauts emerged from the capsule, they were met with expressions of joy and emotion, some kissing the ground upon their return, all proclaiming that they had been forever altered by the experience.

This mission took place more than 60 years after Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space with her solo flight in 1963.

It was the 31st launch of Blue Origin’s New Shepard and the 11th crewed mission. To date, Blue Origin has taken 58 individuals into space during its 10-minute suborbital flights.