Katy Perry to blast off into space on an all-female mission: Date, time, and how you can do it too

Washington: Global pop icon Katy Perry is set to make history on Monday, 14 April 2025, as she joins an all-female crew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a short but significant journey into space. The mission is being hailed as a landmark moment in space exploration, marking the first all-women space crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s groundbreaking solo flight in 1963.

The “Firework” and “California Gurls” singer will be part of a six-woman crew, which also includes Lauren Sanchez, media personality and fiancée of Amazon founder and Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos. They will be joined by respected broadcaster Gayle King, award-winning producer Kerianne Flynn, former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, and activist Amanda Nguyen, known for her work against sexual violence.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle, designed for suborbital space tourism, will lift off from the company’s private launch site in West Texas at approximately 8:30 am Central Daylight Time (1.30 pm GMT / 7 pm IST).

Where and how to watch the Blue Origin spaceflight

The event will be streamed live on Blue Origin’s official website, YouTube channel, and X, giving fans and space enthusiasts across the globe a chance to witness the moment as it unfolds. 

What to expect from the New Shepard experience

Though the flight is expected to last just around 11 minutes from launch to landing, the experience promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. The New Shepard spacecraft is engineered to travel over 100 kilometres above Earth, reaching past the Kármán line, which is commonly recognised as the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

The journey begins with a vertical ascent, during which the crew capsule will separate from the booster rocket at the peak of the flight. Inside the capsule, the crew will experience a few minutes of complete weightlessness, allowing them to float freely and observe the curvature of the Earth through expansive, panoramic windows.

After soaking in the sights of space, the capsule will begin its descent, slowed by a set of parachutes and retro rockets to ensure a soft landing in the West Texas desert. The mission is fully automated, with no pilots onboard, and has been designed to prioritise passenger safety and comfort.

Blue Origin has performed numerous test flights and 10 previous crewed suborbital missions, making this its 11th such operation. The spacecraft is named after Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut to travel into space in 1961, and the programme has helped advance commercial space travel by offering brief but meaningful access to the edge of space.

A mission with a message

For Katy Perry, the mission is more than a personal milestone—it’s a message to the next generation. In an interview with Elle magazine, she spoke about the inspiration behind her decision to fly. “I’m just so excited to see the inspiration through her eyes and the light in her eyes when she sees that rocket go, and she goes back to school the next day and says ‘Mom went to space’,” Perry said, referring to her daughter, Daisy, whom she shares with actor Orlando Bloom.

She added, “to inspire her to never have limits on her dreams.” Perry’s presence on this flight is symbolic of a broader movement to normalise women's participation in science, technology, engineering, and spaceflight—industries where women have historically been underrepresented.

Blue Origin's expanding legacy in space tourism

Since its first passenger flight in July 2021, Blue Origin has steadily built its presence in the space tourism sector. New Shepard has carried 52 people into space, including celebrities and private individuals, with each mission bringing the public one step closer to making space travel more accessible.

While Blue Origin does not publicly disclose the cost of tickets, reports estimate that seats aboard New Shepard range between $250,000 and $300,000. The company’s approach focuses on brief suborbital journeys that provide a taste of spaceflight without the lengthy preparation and training required for orbital missions.

The presence of high-profile passengers like William Shatner and now Katy Perry has helped maintain public interest in the company’s efforts, as it competes with other players in the growing commercial spaceflight industry.

Want to follow in Katy’s footsteps? Here are your options

The rise of space tourism means ordinary people—with the right resources—can now dream of experiencing space. A few companies currently offer civilian access to suborbital or even orbital space travel, each with different levels of investment and experience.

Blue Origin

It offers short but exhilarating journeys aboard New Shepard. Travellers ascend over 100 kilometres into space, experiencing several minutes of weightlessness and stunning views of Earth. The mission is fully automated and requires minimal training, making it one of the more accessible options. Estimated ticket prices range from $250,000 to $300,000.

Virgin Galactic

Led by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, it provides a different take on suborbital travel. Its spaceplane reaches about 80 kilometres above the Earth, offering passengers a similar experience of weightlessness and atmospheric views before gliding back to a runway landing. The total experience lasts around 90 minutes, with tickets priced at approximately $600,000 per person.

SpaceX 

The aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, provides a far more ambitious experience. In 2021, it conducted the first all-civilian orbital mission, sending four people into Earth’s orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The trip lasted several days and offered a full astronaut-style experience. This level of adventure comes at a high price—reportedly around $220 million for the mission, funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman.

Axiom Space

It represents the pinnacle of luxury space travel. In partnership with NASA, Axiom organises private missions to the International Space Station (ISS), offering civilians a chance to live and work aboard the station. These missions are priced around $55 million per person and are part of Axiom’s broader plans to build the world’s first commercial space station in the coming years.

(With inputs from AFP)