https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz7xhwmmsas
The all -female spatial mission by Blue Origin ended successfully, officially entering history. It was since 1963 – year of the solo flight of Valentina Testahkovathe first woman in space – who did not witness a crew made up exclusively of women, in orbit to explore the border between earth and cosmos.
On board the shuttle New Shepardlaunched by the base in the western Texas desert at 15:30 Italian timetraveled the pop star Katy Perrythe journalist and writer Lauren Sánchez (companion of Jeff Bezos), scientists Aisha Bowe And Amanda Nguyenthe TV presenter Gayle King and the film producer Kerianne Flynn.
The rocket pushed the capsule beyond the Kármán lineat 100 km altitude, symbolically scoring entry into space. At that point, the shuttle separated from the mother rocket and continued her ascent for a few moments, allowing the passengers to experience the experience ofabsence of gravity: a few minutes to float freely, with the curvature of the earth On the one hand and the absolute black of the space on the other.
After the short but intense suborbital adventure, the capsule started the return and, slowed down by the parachutes, has touched earth gentlywith the six women welcomed between smiles and applause.
All about the mission
In 2011 Katy Perry he sang alien and galactic attractions in the song Anda hit that seemed to have come out of a Sci-Fi movie. Today, after more than a decade, that fantasy takes shape surprisingly real: Katy is no longer just protagonist of a space video clip, but of a real flight beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.
At 9:30 in the morning in Texas (15:30 in Italy), six women will go aboard the rocket New Shepard To make a signed historical journey Blue Originthe space company founded by Jeff Bezos.
It is a short flight – just 11 minutes – but with a huge symbolic load. For the first time in history, a crew entirely feminine and civil The sky will be furrowed towards the Kármán line, the official border of space, 100 kilometers of altitude. A mission that inevitably recalls the figure of Valentina Testahkovathe first woman to fly in space in 1963, but with a whole contemporary Twist: these women are not professional astronauts. They are well -known, inspiring faces, pioneers in other fields.
Who are the six passengers
On board there will be Lauren Sánchez – journalist, helicopter pilot, activist, and companion (soon wife) of Bezos – flanked by Katy Perryglobal pop star who said: “I hope my journey inspire my daughter and others to reach the stars, literally and figuratively.”
They will also want with them Aisha Boweformer missile engineer of NASA and founder of a technological company; Kerianne Flynnfilm producer; Amanda Nguyencivil rights activist, appointed to the Nobel Peace and Pioneer of Bioastronautica; Gayle Kinghistorical presenter of CBS Morningswho confessed live TV that he initially said “no” to the proposal: “I was afraid. But then I understood that it was a unique opportunity in life. And I said yes ».
The details on the mission
The mission, although not having scientific purposes, will give the six passenger an out of the ordinary experience. After three minutes from the launch, the capsule will separate from the rocket and will begin to climb a triple speed compared to that of sound. Once the maximum altitude has been reached, women will be able to undo their belts and floating in the absence of gravityobserving the curvature of the planet and the absolute darkness of the space.
After about three minutes in microgravity, the descent will begin: the capsule, braking by three large parachutes, will land gently in the Texan desert.
The New Shepard rocket
18 meters high and completely autonomous, the New Shepard He has already brought characters like Jeff Bezos, William Shatner (Captain Kirk of Star Trek), And Laura Shepard Churchleydaughter of the first American in space. The first crew flight dates back to 2021, but the company suspended the missions for two years after a technical accident in 2022.
When and where to follow the live broadcast
The appointment is for today: at 9:30 Local time (16:30 in Italy). Rocket New Shepard With the six passenger on board it will cross the Kármán linethe symbolic and scientific border of space, located 100 km above the earth’s surface.
The six “Astrogirl“They will have the opportunity to experiment A few minutes in the absence of gravityfloating as they observe the curvature of our planet against the black background of the deep space. All this in Just 11, maximum 12 minutes. For those wishing to follow the company in real time, The official Blue Origin portal will broadcast the live streaming.
A journey for a few … for now
The price to get on board the New Shepard remains wrapped in mystery, but estimates speak of figures a Six zeros. For now, spatial tourism remains a dream for the lucky few – or privileged – but Blue Origin aims to make it more and more accessible.
A question of marketing
This is not just a dream flight for six celebrities: behind this mission there is also a move of Well calibrated spatial marketing. The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezosin fact, is engaged in a real race to conquer the commercial space launches, in direct competition with Elon Musk.
As the Guardianthe rockets Falcon 9 Of Spacex – the company founded by Musk – already have to the assets 469 launchesWhile Blue Origin has made only so far 30 flights to the New Shepardof which 11 with crew And all suborbital. An evident gap, which Bezos tries to fill also in terms of public image and narrative.
The flight NS-31, entirely to female, is not only a tribute to diversity and empowerment: it is also a strategic response to the media and technical domain of Spacex. A way to relaunch its presence in the galaxy of the NEXTPAZIO and to attract attention – and perhaps even new investors – in a sector in which Bezos and Musk have already collided even in courtconquering billions of dollars in public funding.
With six women on board and millions of eyes on live streaming, Bezos bet on another type of propulsion: that of the cultural and media impact.
