Latest news with #NS-16
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Not just Katy Perry: Here are the celebrities Blue Origin has launched to space
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. In this era of commercial space travel, Blue Origin has become a major player in turning the dream of spaceflight into reality for people with the means — including some celebrities. Case in point: Pop star Katy Perry and journalist Gayle King are part of Blue Origin's upcoming all-female spaceflight, which is set to launch on Monday (April 14). That mission, known as NS-31, also includes Aisha Bowe, Kerianne Flynn, Amanda Nguyen and Lauren Sánchez (the partner of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos), all of them notable figures in their own right. Here's a look at the other well-known people that Blue Origin has launched to suborbital space aboard its New Shepard suborbital vehicle, on brief missions that have all added to the evolving nature of space tourism. It all began with Blue Origin's inaugural human spaceflight on July 20, 2021. Bezos himself took a seat on New Shepard's NS-16 mission, fulfilling a lifelong dream and marking the dawn of his company's space tourism era. Joining him on that historic flight was female aviation pioneer Wally Funk, whose journey was decades in the making after being denied the opportunity to go to space in the 1960s. (Bezos' brother Jeff and Dutch student Oliver Daemen were the other crewmates on NS-16.) At 90 years old, legendary "Star Trek" actor William Shatner became the oldest person to fly to space aboard NS-18 on Oct. 13, 2021, wresting the title from the 82-year-old Funk. The flight was a full-circle moment, as the man who famously portrayed Captain Kirk finally experienced space for real. Upon his return, Shatner shared an emotional reflection on Earth's fragility. Television personality and former NFL star Michael Strahan was a member of Blue Origin's first six-person crew (NS-19), which flew to space on Dec. 11, 2021. Strahan played for the New York Giants from 1993 to 2007 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014, the same year he joined "Good Morning America" as a co-host. Strahan brought a football with him on NS-19 that was later put in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. YouTube star Coby Cotton of Dude Perfect fame took his trick-shot skills to a whole new altitude aboard NS-22 on Aug. 4, 2022. His flight marked a new era for influencer involvement in space travel, engaging a younger audience with the possibilities of space. More than six decades after initially being selected as the United States' first Black astronaut candidate (via a U.S. Air Force training program, which didn't turn into a NASA post), 90-year-old Ed Dwight joined the crew of NS-25, which launched on May 19, 2024. Dwight, a former U.S. Air Force captain, subsequently became a sculptor well known for his contributions to art and history. RELATED STORIES: — Katy Perry, Gayle King to blast off on star-studded all-female Blue Origin rocket launch on April 14 — Blue Origin faces backlash ahead of historic all-female spaceflight with Katy Perry — Facts about New Shepard, Blue Origin's rocket for space tourism A longtime advocate for science communication and space education, Emily Calandrelli — host of the TV series "Emily's Wonder Lab" and a former MIT engineer — flew on NS-28 on Nov. 22, 2024, becoming the 100th woman to fly to space.
USA Today
13-04-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Blue Origin all-female flight, including Katy Perry and Gayle King, is set for Monday
Blue Origin all-female flight, including Katy Perry and Gayle King, is set for Monday Pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King and four fellow passengers are set to launch into space on a Blue Origin rocket on Monday morning. The New Shepard rocket, a 59-foot-tall suborbital spacecraft, will carry the crew to the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Passengers will experience a few minutes of microgravity before returning to Earth via parachute-assisted landing in the West Texas desert. Who are the passengers on the NS-31 mission? When and where is Blue Origin launching New Shepard? New Shepard's launch window opens at 9:30 a.m. ET, according to Blue Origin. Like all Blue Origin launches, the vehicle will lift off at Launch Site One on Corn Ranch, a private ranch in rural West Texas more than 140 miles east of El Paso. Blue Origin said it plans to provide a livestream of the launch, with details to soon be released. How many Blue Origin flights have there been? Blue Origin has flown 30 missions, 10 of which have carried 52 people to the edge of space. Jeff Bezos was on the spacecraft's first crewed flight, NS-16, in 2021. The flight followed 15 test flights. What to know about the New Shepard launch The New Shepard crew will fly to space at more than three times the speed of sound. The spacefarers will pass the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space 62 miles above Earth, before unbuckling to float weightless and gaze at our planet. The crew will return gently under parachutes. The passengers will watch their progress from six windows, about 4 feet high, one for each occupant. Blue Origin says they're the largest windows in space and take up one-third of the cabin's surface area. The crew capsule will separate from the rocket three minutes after liftoff. The capsule reaches apogee – the flight point farthest from Earth – in about the fourth minute. After the capsule separates from the rocket, the occupants will experience about three minutes of weightlessness. The capsule is fitted with handrails to allow movement. The capsule then will descend and land by parachute near the launch site as the rocket lands itself at the site. The craft operates autonomously and doesn't have a pilot. How does New Shepard rocket compare? Symbolism in the Blue Origin mission patch The NS-31 mission patch contains symbols representing the six crew members. Gayle King, Katy Perry head to space in historic flight Blue Origin's "New Shepard" space vehicle will historically carry an all-female crew, including Katy Perry and Gayle King, to space. What does the future hold for Blue Origin? Blue Origin was one of three rocket companies awarded launch contracts totaling $13.7 billion by the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command for national security launches, as announced on April 4. Blue Origin's contract was for roughly $2.4 billion for seven launches. This contract designates New Glenn, Blue Origin's largest rocket, for missions to orbits requiring higher-performance launch systems and mission assurance as a Space Systems Command certified launch vehicle. The New Glenn rocket stands over 320 feet tall. This heavy-lift rocket is capable of carrying a payload of more than 28,600 pounds to geostationary transfer orbit and 99,208 pounds to low Earth orbit. It had its first test launch, called NG-1, in January. CONTRIBUTING Eric Lagatta SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Blue Origin; Reuters: Getty Images
USA Today
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Katy Perry and Gayle King are going to space. These celebrities have already been.
Katy Perry and Gayle King are going to space. These celebrities have already been. Ahead of next week's launch with Gayle King and Katy Perry, look back at previous Blue Origin spaceflights that included Michael Strahan, William Shatner and Jeff Bezos as passengers. Show Caption Hide Caption Gayle King, Katy Perry head to space in historic flight Blue Origin's "New Shepard" space vehicle will historically carry an all-female crew, including Katy Perry and Gayle King, to space. Gayle King, Katy Perry and four others are due to become the latest space tourists to board a Blue Origin rocket for a brief trip high above Earth. For nearly four years since the first ticket sold for $28 million through an online auction, billionaire Jeff Bezos' space technology company has been offering regular trips to space to people who either have deep pockets or recognizable names. The brief voyage takes civilian passengers on a trip above the Kármán Line – the 62-mile-high internationally recognized boundary of space – where they can experience a few minutes of weightlessness. Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, which takes off from the company's Launch Site One in rural west Texas, also comes with a crew capsule outfitted with large windows for them to enjoy the stunning view of Earth. Pop music artist Perry and King, co-host of "CBS Mornings," were announced last month as being among the next humans due to launch on the trip. Joining them is civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, filmmaker Kerianne Flynn and Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez. When the crew of six women get off the ground as early as Monday morning, they'll reach the edge of space on the company's 11th human spaceflight. The trip will see them following in the footsteps of plenty of notable people, including household names like actor William Shatner and NFL legend Michael Strahan. Even Bezos, the founder of Amazon, took a trip on the New Shepard's maiden crewed voyage in 2021. Here's a look back at those three first spaceflights, along with a list of all 48 people who have so far booked passage with Blue Origin: Blue Origin launch: Gayle King, Katy Perry among crew of all women launching to space Jeff Bezos launches with first crew of New Shepard The New Shepard flew 15 times without a crew beginning in 2012 before Bezos joined the first human flight in 2021 to ride atop the rocket as part of NS-16. The trip on July 20, 2021 coincided with the anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing. "Happy, happy, happy!" Bezos said from space. "You have a very happy crew up here!" "Best day ever," Bezos added after touchdown as he was greeted by a sea of cheering Blue Origin employees and others at the company's campus. Bezos' flight made history in myriad ways, with female aviator Wally Funk, at 82 years old, becoming the oldest person at the time to reach the edge of space, and student Oliver Daemen, Blue Origin's first paying customer, becoming the youngest at 18 years old. Bezos and his brother Mark Bezos also became the first siblings to go to space together. William Shatner becomes oldest person to reach space Actor William Shatner surpassed Funk's milestone with his own Blue Origin trip later that same year on Oct. 13. Best known for his role in the original "Star Trek" series and the first six films in the "Star Trek" movie franchise, Shatner at 90 years old rocketed to space with five others. When the crew safely landed back on Earth several minutes later, Shatner could be heard saying the experience was "unlike anything they described." Shatner, now 94, also appeared the next day on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," where he expressed that the flight left him "overwhelmed by all the things we need to do and the loves and the losses." "It was an enormous moment for me that I never expected," he said while he appeared virtually. Michael Strahan flies on Blue Origin's 3rd human spaceflight Michael Strahan then flew on the company's third human spaceflight overall, and final of 2021 on Dec. 11. Prior to the flight, the former NFL defensive end told his "Good Morning America" co-hosts that after covering the first Blue Origin launch, he had been "enamored" with human space travel. He said Blue Origin approached him about booking his seat, and he didn't hesitate. "It's going to take a while, but I do believe it will bring a lot of technological breakthroughs and also innovations to us here on earth … and I just wanted to be a part of it," Strahan told his "GMA" co-hosts before the flight. Afterward, he took to Instagram to say "it was surreal." "It was unbelievable. It's hard to even describe it. It's going to take a little bit to process it." Other passengers on Blue Origin spaceflights A total of 52 tickets have been punched for flights on the New Shepard, including four people who were repeat passengers. The spacecraft's most recent crewed flight was Feb. 25 on a mission known as NS-30. That crew included six individuals: Lane Bess : venture capitalist known for his work in technology who is the principal and founder of family fund Bess Ventures and Advisory. : venture capitalist known for his work in technology who is the principal and founder of family fund Bess Ventures and Advisory. Jesús Calleja : Spanish TV host, mountaineer, pilot and adventurer. : Spanish TV host, mountaineer, pilot and adventurer. Elaine Chia Hyde : entrepreneur, physicist and pilot who founded news media company Chicago Star and Eastside Enterprises, an Artificial Intelligence research and development company. : entrepreneur, physicist and pilot who founded news media company Chicago Star and Eastside Enterprises, an Artificial Intelligence research and development company. Richard Scott : reproductive endocrinologist, embryologist, professor, research scientist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and pilot. : reproductive endocrinologist, embryologist, professor, research scientist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and pilot. Tushar Shah : co-head of research at a quantitative hedge fund in New York City : co-head of research at a quantitative hedge fund in New York City A sixth unnamed individual Here's a look at the crew of NS-28 on Nov. 22, 2024: Emily Calandrelli : Best known as @thespacegal on social media who hosts science series Xploration Outer Space. : Best known as @thespacegal on social media who hosts science series Xploration Outer Space. Sharon Hagle : founder of nonprofit SpaceKids Global that teaches STEM subjects to students. : founder of nonprofit SpaceKids Global that teaches STEM subjects to students. Marc Hagle : president and CEO of Tricor International, a residential and commercial property development corporation. : president and CEO of Tricor International, a residential and commercial property development corporation. Austin Litteral : risk management professional in the financial services industry. : risk management professional in the financial services industry. James (J.D.) Russell : entrepreneur and founder of InfoHOA, a company focused on technology-based community management solutions. : entrepreneur and founder of InfoHOA, a company focused on technology-based community management solutions. Henry (Hank) Wolfond: Chair and CEO of Bayshore Capital in Toronto, Canada. Here's a look at the crew of NS-26 on Aug. 29, 2024: Nicolina Elrick : philanthropist and entrepreneur whose career spans high fashion modeling to property development and founding multiple IT corporations in the 1990s. : philanthropist and entrepreneur whose career spans high fashion modeling to property development and founding multiple IT corporations in the 1990s. Rob Ferl : inaugural director of the Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida. : inaugural director of the Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida. Eugene Grin : Ukraine-born immigrant to the U.S. who works in real estate and finance. : Ukraine-born immigrant to the U.S. who works in real estate and finance. Eiman Jahangir : cardiologist and associate professor of medicine and radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. : cardiologist and associate professor of medicine and radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Karsen Kitchen : then a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Communications and Astronomy. : then a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Communications and Astronomy. Ephraim Rabin: American-Israeli businessman who founded technology company Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals. Here's a look at the crew of NS-25 on May 19, 2024: Ed Dwight : sculptor who creates large-scale monuments of iconic Black figures. : sculptor who creates large-scale monuments of iconic Black figures. Mason Angel : founder of Industrious Ventures, a venture capital fund supporting early-stage companies. : founder of Industrious Ventures, a venture capital fund supporting early-stage companies. Sylvain Chiron : founder of the Brasserie Mont Blanc, one of the largest craft breweries in France. : founder of the Brasserie Mont Blanc, one of the largest craft breweries in France. Kenneth L. Hess : software engineer whose technology-based family history product, Family Tree Maker, was acquired by in 2003. : software engineer whose technology-based family history product, Family Tree Maker, was acquired by in 2003. Carol Schaller : a retired certified public accountant who had at the time traveled to 25 countries after learning she would go blind. : a retired certified public accountant who had at the time traveled to 25 countries after learning she would go blind. Gopi Thotakura: pilot and aviator who co-founded Preserve Life Corp focused on "holistic wellness." After being grounded in fall 2022 following a failed uncrewed mission, human launches resumed Aug. 4, 2022 with NS-22: Coby Cotton : one of five cofounders of the YouTube comedy and sports channel Dude Perfect. : one of five cofounders of the YouTube comedy and sports channel Dude Perfect. Mário Ferreira : Portuguese entrepreneur, investor and President of Pluris Investments Group. : Portuguese entrepreneur, investor and President of Pluris Investments Group. Vanessa O'Brien : British-American explorer. : British-American explorer. Clint Kelly III : Retired engineer at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA.) : Retired engineer at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA.) Sara Sabry : Egyptian mechanical and biomedical engineer, and founder of Deep Space Initiative (DSI), a nonprofit aiming to increase accessibility for space research. : Egyptian mechanical and biomedical engineer, and founder of Deep Space Initiative (DSI), a nonprofit aiming to increase accessibility for space research. Steve Young: former CEO of Young's Communications, a large telecommunications contractor in Florida. Here's a look at the crew of NS-21 on June 24, 2022: Evan Dick : engineer, investor and managing member of investment firm Dick Holdings. : engineer, investor and managing member of investment firm Dick Holdings. Katya Echazarreta : Mexican electrical engineer and host of a popular science show on YouTube, "Netflix IRL." : Mexican electrical engineer and host of a popular science show on YouTube, "Netflix IRL." Hamish Harding : Chair of Action Aviation, a business jet brokerage company he founded in 2004. : Chair of Action Aviation, a business jet brokerage company he founded in 2004. Victor Correa Hespanha : civil production engineer from Brazil. : civil production engineer from Brazil. Jaison Robinson : founder of JJM Investments, a commercial real estate company, and co-founder of Dream Variations Ventures, which invests in technology and sports startups. : founder of JJM Investments, a commercial real estate company, and co-founder of Dream Variations Ventures, which invests in technology and sports startups. Victor Vescovo: co-founder of private equity investment firm Insight Equity. Here's a look at the crew of NS-20 on March 31, 2022: Marty Allen : startup investor known for turning around Party America as its CEO. : startup investor known for turning around Party America as its CEO. Sharon Hagle Marc Hagle Jim Kitchen : teacher, entrepreneur, and world explorer who has visited all 193 U.N.-recognized countries : teacher, entrepreneur, and world explorer who has visited all 193 U.N.-recognized countries Gary Lai : Aerospace engineer at Blue Origin who helped design the New Shepard. : Aerospace engineer at Blue Origin who helped design the New Shepard. George Nield: president of Commercial Space Technologies who served as an associate administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration. Here's a look at the crew of NS-19 on Dec. 11, 2021: Laura Shepard Churchley : Daughter of astronaut Alan Shepard, the namesake of the New Shepard vehicle who was the first American in space. : Daughter of astronaut Alan Shepard, the namesake of the New Shepard vehicle who was the first American in space. Michael Strahan Dylan Taylor :Investor and CEO of Voyager Space Holdings, a space exploration company, and the founder of nonprofit Space for Humanity. :Investor and CEO of Voyager Space Holdings, a space exploration company, and the founder of nonprofit Space for Humanity. Evan Dick Lane Bess Cameron Bess: content creator and child of Lane Bess. Here's a look at the crew of NS-18 on Oct. 13, 2021: Chris Boshuizen : former NASA engineer and co-founder of satellite company Planet Labs. : former NASA engineer and co-founder of satellite company Planet Labs. Glen de Vries : Vice-Chair, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Dassault Systèmes and co-founder of software company Medidata. : Vice-Chair, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Dassault Systèmes and co-founder of software company Medidata. Audrey Powers : a vice president at Blue Origin overseeing flight operations. : a vice president at Blue Origin overseeing flight operations. William Shatner The inaugural crewed launch of Blue Origin's New Shepard took place July 20, 2021 with the NS-16 mission: Jeff Bezos Mark Bezos : Brother of Jeff Bezos. : Brother of Jeff Bezos. Wally Funk : American aviation pioneer who has long championed female inclusion in spaceflight. : American aviation pioneer who has long championed female inclusion in spaceflight. Oliver Daemen: the first official ticket-holder to fly on New Shepard. Contributing: John Bacon, Emre Kelly, Hannah Yasharoff, Jenna Ryu, Amy Haneline, USA TODAY; Algernon D'Ammassa, El Paso Times Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@
USA Today
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Gayle King, Katy Perry among crew of all women launching to space next week: What to know
Gayle King, Katy Perry among crew of all women launching to space next week: What to know Blue Origin claims the spaceflight is set to become the first all-woman flight since the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova made a solo spaceflight in 1963. Show Caption Hide Caption Gayle King, Katy Perry head to space in historic flight Blue Origin's "New Shepard" space vehicle will historically carry an all-female crew, including Katy Perry and Gayle King, to space. A group of six women that includes CBS host Gayle King and pop star Katy Perry are preparing to blast off on a historic all-female commercial spaceflight in one week. When a Blue Origin spacecraft gets off the ground, the crew of women will become the latest humans to be treated to a brief trip to the edge of space courtesy of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' space technology company. Blue Origin, which Bezos started in 2000, has been offering the cosmic joyrides to celebrities and other paying customers since its New Shepard spacecraft began crewed launches in 2021. The launch, scheduled for Monday in West Texas, will be the company's 11th human flight and 31st flight overall. This one, though, is set to make history. Blue Origin says the mission will be the first all-female flight since the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova flew in space solo in 1963. Here's what to know about the mission, the crew and what they'll experience on the trip. 'Like why?': Olivia Munn calls new Blue Origin space flight with Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez 'gluttonous' What women are on the Blue Origin launch? The six women are part of a commercial spaceflight mission known as NS-31. Here's a look at who will be aboard New Shepard, composed of a rocket and passenger capsule: In an interview for the cover of Elle magazine published Wednesday, the New Shepard squad revealed they would all be in "glam" with hair and makeup for the journey. When is Blue Origin launching New Shepard? New Shepard's launch window opens at 9:30 a.m. ET, according to Blue Origin. Like all of Blue Origin launches, the vehicle will lift off at Launch Site One, a private ranch in rural West Texas more than 140 miles east of El Paso. Blue Origin said it plans to provide a livestream of the launch, with details to soon be released. What happens during the Blue Origin spaceflight? Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, New Shepard can hold up to six passengers for a brief voyage above the Kármán Line – the 62-mile-high internationally recognized boundary of space. With the vehicle's latest crewed flight Feb. 25, 10 of Blue Origin's 30 missions have now carried 52 people to the edge of space. Bezos himself joined the spacecraft's first crewed flight in 2021 as part of the NS-16 mission, which came after New Shepard flew on 15 test flights beginning in 2012. Each spaceflight lasts about 11 minutes from liftoff to capsule touchdown, allowing up to six people to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and get a view of Earth's curvature. The spacecraft operates autonomously, meaning no pilots are aboard. New Shepard is a launch vehicle designed to be fully reusable, with a capsule that returns to Earth via three parachutes. The rocket itself is powered by one BE-3PM engine, which propels it to suborbit before restarting to slow the booster to just 6 mph for a controlled landing back on the launch pad. What is the cost of a Blue Origin flight? Though Blue Origin does not publicly list prices on its website, a form to reserve a seat requires customers to agree to a $150,000 deposit alone. USA TODAY left a message Friday for Blue Origin inquiring as to how the crew of NS-31 were selected for the flight. What to know about Blue Origin's spacecraft The launch comes as Blue Origin is becoming a major player in the commercial space industry, competing with the likes of Elon Musk's SpaceX for NASA's business, as well as the business of other private companies. But New Shepard doesn't just take celebrities on joy rides to the edge of space. In early February, New Shepard successfully simulated the moon's low gravity on board its capsule during a brief flight. On board was cargo belonging to NASA, which helped fund the mission as the U.S. space agency prepares to send humans back to the moon in the years ahead under its Artemis campaign. Blue Origin also is developing its massive New Glenn rocket, which launched in January on its maiden flight. The 320-foot-tall heavy-lift launch vehicle, which launched without a crew on Jan. 16 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, is meant to challenge SpaceX in regularly deploying satellites and other cargo into orbit. Named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn rivals SpaceX's 400-foot Starship in size. Its first stage, powered by seven Blue Origin engines known as BE-4, is designed to be reusable for 25 missions. Contributing: Anna Kaufman and Doyle Rice Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@
