Blue Origin Launches All-Female Crew into Orbit

Blue Origin launched its 31st New Shepard rocket mission in one decade. The all-female crew launched into orbit included aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe and musical artist Katy Perry.

The flight was the 11th Blue Origin conducted with humans on board using its New Shepard rocket, bringing the total number of astronauts to date to 58, including a quartet that has flown twice. Also on board were entrepreneur Amanda Nguyen, broadcast journalist Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and journalist and author Lauren Sanchez.

The flight used a launch site in West Texas and is the latest advance in Blue Origin’s broader commercial space ambitions, which focus heavily on so-called space tourism. Blue Origin achieved a milestone in January with the inaugural flight of its reusable New Glenn rocket, upping competition with Space X.

Even with the backing of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin faces some tough financial choices regarding continuing to fund launches. The company has, however, just won a portion of a huge US government national security contract.