Pop icon Katy Perry is set to soar to the edge of space on Monday as part of Blue Origin’s first all-woman space mission. The sub-orbital flight, operated by Jeff Bezos’ space company, will launch from West Texas at 8:30 a.m. local time.
Perry will be joined by Lauren Sanchez (Bezos’ fiancée), Gayle King, Kerianne Flynn, Aisha Bowe, and Amanda Nguyen. This marks the first all-female crew in space since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963.
The fully automated New Shepard rocket will carry the crew over 100 kilometers (62 miles) above Earth, crossing the Kármán line, the official boundary of space. During the 10-minute journey, the crew will experience a brief moment of weightlessness.
Perry shared her excitement on Instagram, calling the experience a “spiritual confirmation,” noting the capsule is decorated with symbols meaningful to her.
Blue Origin has already flown 52 passengers, including actor William Shatner. The company competes with Virgin Galactic and SpaceX in the growing space tourism industry.
