Blue Origin has officially announced the six-person crew set to fly on its NS-31 mission, marking the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program.
The all-female team will include Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez, who played a key role in assembling the mission. This milestone launch is scheduled for spring 2024 and aims to inspire future generations by reshaping perspectives on space exploration.
Meet the NS-31 Crew
- Aisha Bowe – A former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and advocate for STEM education, Bowe is the CEO of STEMBoard and founder of LINGO, a company focused on tech education. As the first Bahamian to travel to space, she hopes to inspire young minds globally.
- Amanda Nguyen – A bioastronautics research scientist, Nguyen has worked on NASA’s STS-135 shuttle mission and the Kepler exoplanet project. She is also a Nobel Peace Prize nominee for her advocacy work. Her spaceflight symbolizes reconciliation between the U.S. and Vietnam, as she becomes the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut.
- Gayle King – The award-winning CBS Mornings co-host and journalist is known for her insightful interviews and storytelling. Stepping out of her comfort zone, she joins the mission as part of Blue Origin’s first all-female crew, embracing the thrill of new adventures.
- Katy Perry – As one of the best-selling female artists in history, Perry has used her platform for philanthropy, including her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and through her Firework Foundation, which supports underserved communities. She hopes her journey inspires young girls, including her daughter, to dream beyond limits.
- Kerianne Flynn – A film producer and community leader, Flynn has contributed to projects like This Changes Everything (2018), which examines the role of women in Hollywood, and LILLY (2024), a documentary about fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter. Her passion for storytelling and exploration has led her to this groundbreaking spaceflight.
- Lauren Sánchez – An Emmy-winning journalist, licensed pilot, and Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, Sánchez also founded Black Ops Aviation, a female-owned aerial production company. In 2024, she authored the bestselling children’s book The Fly Who Flew to Space and received the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award for her contributions to aviation.
A Historic Milestone for Spaceflight
The NS-31 mission will be the first all-female spaceflight crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963. With this flight, Blue Origin continues to expand its legacy, having already sent 52 people past the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
This historic journey not only highlights female leadership in space exploration but also aims to inspire a new generation of dreamers, scientists, and adventurers.
