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Katy Perry makes history with all-female Blue Origin spaceflight
Katy Perry joins Blue Origin’s first all-female spaceflight and sings “What a Wonderful World” in zero gravity
“I feel super connected to love.” That’s how Katy Perry summed up her feelings after returning from space on Monday, April 14, following Blue Origin’s historic NS-31 mission. The flight marked a turning point: for the first time ever, an all-female crew reached the edge of space together — something not seen since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.
Jeff Bezos' aerospace company launched the NS-31 mission on April 14, sending the pop star and her five female crewmates on a brief journey to suborbital space. Liftoff occurred at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT) from Blue Origin's West Texas launch site.
It was the first all-female spaceflight since June 16, 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova spent three days in Earth orbit. Since Tereshkova flew solo, NS-31 is now officially the first-ever multi-person spaceflight with no male crewmembers.
On board were six inspiring women:
Katy Perry, pop icon and philanthropist
Gayle King, journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings
Lauren Sánchez, journalist and Blue Origin executive
Aisha Bowe, former NASA engineer and founder of STEMBoard
Kerianne Flynn, filmmaker
Amanda Nguyen, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, researcher, and activist
Music among the stars
During the brief moments of zero gravity, Katy Perry surprised her fellow passengers by singing a snippet of Louis Armstrong’s timeless classic “What a Wonderful World.” More than just a performance, it was a powerful gesture:
“It wasn’t about me or singing my songs. It was about collective energy. It’s about us — making space for more women and cherishing this wonderful world,” she shared post-flight.
A journey full of meaning
Katy brought a daisy on board — not only a tribute to her 4-year-old daughter, Daisy, but also a symbol of Earth’s beauty and resilience.
“They grow through concrete. They’re strong and everywhere. A reminder of how fragile and magical Earth is,” she said, visibly moved.
The singer also revealed she shared the setlist of her upcoming tour with the crew during the flight. No details have been released yet, but fans are already speculating about what may come — and if footage from the mission will make it into future tour visuals.
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“10 out of 10” experience
Katy described the experience as “10 out of 10,” saying it was second only to becoming a mother.
“I’d recommend it to anyone. It made me feel connected to love in a way I never imagined,” said the artist, who was cheered on at launch by her daughter and fiancé Orlando Bloom in Texas.
Stellar representation
In addition to marking a major milestone for gender equality in space travel, the NS-31 mission highlighted the power of representation in science, tech, media and pop culture. Oprah Winfrey was also present at the launch to support her longtime friend Gayle King.
“There’s only one first time for something like this, and this was ours. I’ve never been prouder of my friend,” Oprah said.
Katy Perry continues breaking barriers — this time, literally off Earth. As humanity pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, women continue to lead, inspire, and shine beyond our planet. Let this be the start of many more cosmic stories led by women.