Lauren Sánchez and Gayle King have defended their participation in Blue Origin’s historic all-female spaceflight.
The 50-year-old fiancée of billionaire Jeff Bezos and her 70-year-old TV host crew mate hit out at criticism their mission was a superficial display of privilege after their suborbital flight, named NS-31, launched on Monday (14.04.25) from the Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas.
Along with Lauren and Gayle, the six-member female crew included pop singer Katy Perry, 40, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, 39, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, 34, and film producer Kerianne Flynn, 45.
The mission marked the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova's solo journey in 1963.
During a press conference following the 11-minute flight, Gayle addressed the criticism of the flight by saying: “Anybody that’s criticising it doesn’t really understand what is happening here.”
She also emphasised the mission's inspirational impact on young women.
Lauren also responded to detractors by highlighting the dedication of the company's employees.
She said: “I would love to have them (our critics) come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle.”
She added: “They love their work and they love the mission and it's a big deal for them.”
Criticism of the mission included comments from actress Olivia Munn, 44, who questioned its value during an appearance on ‘Today With Jenna and Friends’ on 3 April.
The actress stated: “There are so many other things that are so important in the world right now.
“What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous.”
Aisha Bowe also spoke out, recalling how her high school guidance counsellor once suggested she pursue cosmetology instead of engineering.
She said: “I went from pre-algebra in community college to two degrees in aerospace engineering to working for NASA.
“It is bigger than the criticism.”
During the flight, Katy brought a small daisy as a tribute to her daughter and sang ‘What a Wonderful World’ upon re-entry.
Gayle, who has long feared flying, described the experience as transformative.
The NS-31 mission was Blue Origin’s 11th human flight and aimed to inspire future generations by showcasing diversity and inclusion in space exploration.
Its crew experienced approximately four minutes of weightlessness before safely returning to Earth, where they were greeted by Jeff and other supporters.
