Jeff Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, successfully launched its New Shepard rocket at around 9:30 a.m. ET on Monday, as it seeks to challenge Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism industry.
What stands out most about this mission is that it featured the first all-female space crew since 1963, when Soviet astronaut Valentina Tereshkova completed her solo mission. This also marks the 31st trip of the rocket and its 11th mission with a crew on board.
The crew for this launch included pop artist Katy Perry, “CBS Mornings” anchor Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe.
While this trip aimed to highlight the roles of women in astronautics, Blue Origin has faced criticism for being an exclusive venture for the wealthy, especially during a time of economic hardship in the U.S.
However, Perry offered a different perspective. In a CBS interview, she said, “It won’t be about me; it will be about the beautiful Earth we get to see. I think the perspective we’re all going to walk away with is, ‘Oh my gosh, we have to protect our mother.’”
To experience that same view of Earth from space, though, participants are required to pay $150,000 to reserve a spot.
Last month, the company announced that it’s preparing for a second launch of its New Glenn rocket sometime in the spring.
