Katy Perry heads to space: Live Blue Origin launch updates as singer leads A-list crew embarking on historic mission

Gayle King admitted that she had planned to leave letters for her son, daughter and best friend Oprah if something went wrong during the mission.

'I was going to leave it on leave it on my kitchen counter, saying the many things I wanted to say,' she said.

'Then I started writing and said, 'I don't even want to put that in the universe.' I want to go into this thinking, I am going to return. I am going to return with all my body parts. But you can't, on some level, think about it.'

Blue Origin shared the first look inside the capsule, showing the six women floating in zero gravity.

The women's hair stood up as they looked in awe out the window, marveling at the moon.

Katy Perry took a daisy flower with her to space and showed it to the camera when the crew was in space.

'I have so much love for my daughter, Daisy,' she said in a post-flight interview.

Aisha Bowe held up a patch representing the Bahamas.

Gayle King, who was openly nervous about the mission, said she is proud of herself.

'Not in a million years did I think I could do this,' she said.

Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner were in the crowd during the Blue Origin launch and were left in awe watching Katy Perry and five other women soar into space.

After the 11-minute spaceflight, the mother and daughter were asked if they would be next to fly inside the capsule.

Khloé said today's flight 'made it a little more enticing.'

'It's incredible,' she said. 'It takes your breath away. And I feel like I have all this adrenaline, and I'm just standing here.'

Katy Perry said she she would be writing a song about the experience and revealed the setlist for her upcoming tour on the trip.

Perry's upcoming Lifetimes Tour starts in Mexico City on April 23 which consists of 84 dates before ending in Abu Dhabi on December 7.

The 40-year-old star said she felt 'super connected to love' after returning to Earth following her trip on Jeff Bezos’s New Shepard NS-31 embarking on the Blue Origin programme.

The Roar singer spoke about singing Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World while in space saying she sang it as her trip was “all for the benefit of Earth”.

She said:

We can now show you footage of the moment Lauren Sanchez became overcome with emotion as she was interviewed moments after returning from space.

The 55-year-old journalist and children's author told how there was a feeling of joy and camaraderie among the women in space.

Watch the interview below:

Blue Origin are celebrating a 'great flight' following the successful space flight of its first all-female crew in Texas.

CEO Dave Limp shared a picure of the women with himself and Jeff Bezos after the six-woman crew landed in the New Shepard capsule.

The flight marked the 11th crewed mission of its New Shepard capsule and means now both Bezos and Sanchez have travelled to space.

It wasn't just a star studded affair on board Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket as a number of celebrities arrived to support the all-female crew.

Oprah Winfrey was among those on the ground in Texas to witness the historic space flight as was Kris Jenner and her daughter Khloe Kardashian.

We can now show you footage from Jenner and Kardashian as they gave their reaction:

Social media users have slammed Katy Perry and Blue Origin - and say their space launch was nothing more than a 'joyride for the super-rich'.

Perry and Lauren Sanchez completed their all-female mission to space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket this afternoon. The A-list crew travelled for 11 minutes, reaching an altitude of 62 miles (100km) and crossing the Karman Line, the official boundary of space.

However, commenters have branded the mission 'ridiculous', and say it is nothing more than a 'publicity stunt'.

Dr Gareth Dorrian, a space scientist from the University of Birmingham, told MailOnline: 'Let’s call it what it is and not tell ourselves that it is contributing meaningfully to science or space exploration. I am afraid I do still think these flights are essentially just joyrides for the super-rich.'

Read Wiliam Hunter's full story here:

Here are some pictures to recap how Blue Origin's New Shepard successfully completed a space flight with the first all-female crew.

Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, Gayle King, Amanda Nguyen, Aisha Bowe and Kerianne Flynn spent several minutes in space before returning to Texas where they launched earlier this afternoon.

The rocket blasted off from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in Texas

The mission saw the women cross the boundary into space for a few minutes

The capsule then landed back on Earth

Katy Perry held a daisy to the sky as she emerged from the capsule

While Lauren Sanchez was embraced by her fiance Jeff Bezos

A little moment we can bring you from earlier.

Jeff Bezos was captured falling to the ground as he rushed to welcome back the all-female NS-31 crew following their landing from space.

The Amazon founder stumbled as the recovery team checked on the women before welcoming them back to Earth.

See the footage below:

Rocket scientist Aisha Bowe has said she will 'never be the same' after experiencing space.

Speaking to the Blue Origin live stream, Bowe said the planet looked 'beautiful' from above.

Bowe added the all-female crew shared a moment when they reached space by looking at one another.

She was also told her 92-year-old grandfather was nervously watching from the ground as Oprah gave him a reassuring squeeze.

Katy Perry has described launching into space as the 'highest high' in her first remarks since returning to Earth from space.

Perry confirmed she sang 'What A Wonderful World' because it fit the 'collective energy' inside the capsule, adding 'it wasn't about my songs'.

Explaining why she took a daisy, the name as her daughter, Perry explained it's a flower that can 'grow in all conditions' as she said she hoped this would benefit all women wanting to go to space.

She also said the experience was 'second to being a mom.'

We can now bring you words from filmmaker Kerianne Flynn who said it was 'the most incredible experience of my life'.

Flynn told a story of her son telling his friends that she was going up to space and they told him: 'Mum's don't go to space'.

With a smile, she adds: 'This mum went to space.'

Gayle King has confirmed Katy Perry sang the Louis Armstrong classic 'What A Wonderful World' during the 11-minute spaceflight.

Perry's vocals weren't clear on the live stream but King confirmed she did perform for the crew on the journey.

Talking about their time on the flight, King said:

Here is the moment the female crew stepped out of the capsule as they returned to earth after the space flight.

Lauren Sanchez appeared overcome with emotion as she was interviewed minutes aftrer arriving back on Earth,

Speaking to the Blue Origin live stream, Sanchez said: 'Earth looks so profound.'

She added that the crew were 'connected' before she appeared to overcome with emotion.

Composing herself, she then joked she had to come back as she due to marry Bezos.

The NS-31 crew are now leaving the capsule.

Lauren Sanchez was the first to exit the pod as she was met by her fiance Jeff Bezos who immediately gave her a hug.

lauren was heard shouting, 'where are my babies'.

She was then followed by Katy Perry who pointed to the sky with a daisy as she left the capsule and then kissed the ground.

Gayle King did the same as all the women exited the capsule.

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket has just taken an all-female crew of celebrity astronauts to space in a history-making event not seen in 60 years.

Jeff Bezos's fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, and popstar Katy Perry headlined a crew of six noteworthy women blasting off from West Texas Monday morning on a nail-biting 11-minute suborbital flight during which the crew could be heard screaming on the broadcast.

The New Shepard rocket is only taking its famous passengers beyond the threshold of Earth's atmosphere and into space for roughly three minutes before returning home safely.

Read our top story here:

This is the moment the all-female crew were welcomed back to Earth by Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos after launching into space.

Bezos was with the recovery team when the capsule landed around 11 minutes after his New Shepard rocket blasted into space.

Watch the moment below:

Here is the moment Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket launched into space carrying six women including pop megastar Katy Perry

Katy Perry was heard singing as NS-31 travelled to space.

The pop singer said she would perform on the New Shepard capsule during the 11-minute spaceflight, making her the first to do so.

The six-women crew were briefly unstrapped for the seats and felt zero gravity for the first time.

The all-female crew are now heading back to Earth as the 11-minute flight nears the end.

The first parachutes have now touched down and the crew will be removed from the capsule imminently.

The booster has now detached as the capsule enters freefall.

While the capsule is no longer being pushed upwards it will have enough momentum to keep travelling upwards for another few minutes.

At this point, the crew will first begin to experience weightlessness.

The all women crew can be heard shouting 'wow' as they head towards space as the Blue Origin live stream declares, 'welcome to space ladies.'

The historic NS-31 mission has now launched into space for the start of an historic 11-minute space flight.

Cheers can be heard on the ground as the rocket takes off.

We're now just one minute away.

Stick with us for the latest updates.

Oprah Winfrey is among the famous faces tho arrive to see the historic moment the all-female NS-31 crew launches in Texas.

Other celebrities include Kris Jenner and her daughter Khloe Kardashian, while a group of female astronauts have also arrived to show support with Emily Calandrelli and Sian Procter among the group.

It's all systems go!

Final checks have been carried out at the launch site as we wait just a mere matter of minutes for NS-31 to take off.

The all-female crew are in the capsule and the hatch has been closed.

Watch the launch as it happens on our live stream.

Here are pictures of the all-female crew ringing the bell just moments before they boarded the New Shepard rocket to take them to space.

Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, Gayle King, Amanda Nguyen, Aisha Bowe and Kerianne Flynn may be just 10 minutes away from heading into space as the launch window opens.

Blue Origin said the bell ringing was a 'New Shepard tradition'.

Stick with us for live launch updates.

We can now show you pictures of the crew's final preparations before they blast off into space on Blue Origin's NS-31 mission.

The six women have been pictured getting into position in the capsule which will take them to space.

We've just heard a final message from Jeff Bezos to the all-female crew as the Amazon founder told them, 'I want to go with you'.

Bezos, whose fiancee Lauren Sanchez hand-picked the NS-31 crew, said he cannot wait to hear how the experience has changed them.

Speaking on the Blue Origin livestream, Sánchez says Bezos returned from his spaceflight "more grounded".

She said: 'He told me that it's going to change me more than I know.'

Predator actress Olivia Munn described today's Blue Origin space mission with an all-female crew as 'a bit gluttonous' in an interview earlier this month.

The mother-of-two discussed the topic during an appearance on Today With Jenna And Friends on Thursday, April 3.

Questioning the mission, Munn said: 'What are they doing? Like why? You know what I mean? I know that this is probably not the cool thing to say, but there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now.'

While talking to Jenna, Munn then asked, 'But what's the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on ride? I think it's a bit gluttonous and I just think there are - the cover of Elle Magazine? I mean, I don't know.'

Read the full story here:

The all-female crew have arrived at the launch pad as they prepare to blast off into space.

The women are about to get inside the capsule which will take them on the historic 11-minute spaceflight.

Aisha Bowe was seen sticking her head out of the window as she arrived at the launch site in Texas.

Gayle King was seen crying when she arrived at the launchpad while Jeff Bezos, also dressed in a blue spacesuit, gave his fiancee Lauren Sanchez a kiss on the lips.

Katy Perry has posted a simple three-word message, 'I LOVE YOU' as she prepares to blast off into space on the all-female NS-31 crew.

The Firework singer's latest tweet comes after she penned a message on her Instagram page yesterday.

Perry wrote:

Jeff Bezos (left) and Elon Musk at Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony

Today's launch of high-profile women flying to space is intended to keep public interest in Blue Origin's work, as it battles multiple rival firms in the space tourism field.

Bezos' top challenger in passenger flights is Virgin Galactic, which offers a similar sub-orbital experience.

But Blue Origin aims in future to bring space tourists into orbit, competing directly with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The world’s two richest men are using reusable rockets to launch commercial satellites and excitedly talk about a future in which humans go on regular trips to space.

Mr Musk has taken the lead in the race so far with his company SpaceX’s rocket, Falcon 9, completing more than 400 launches.

But Mr Bezos is making significant progress and will help to build further momentum following today's launch.

In January, Blue Origin's much more powerful New Glenn rocket successfully completed its first unmanned orbital mission.

Speaking at the time, Dr Simeon Barber, a space expert from the Open University, said:

The six women taking part in Blue Origin's historic NS-31 mission - the first in space by an all-female crew - will all be wearing a patch on their spacesuits designed to highlight their personal achievements.

Blue Origin has explained what each of the symbols mean.

Watch the moment Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, Gayle King, Amanda Nguyen, Aisha Bowe and Kerianne Flynn posed in their spacesuits on the eve of today's launch in Texas.

See our footage below:

Here is our live stream of the Blue Origin space mission as the first all-female crew blasts off into space on board Jeff Bezos' rocket:

Before the launch window opens at 8.:30am (2:30pm UK time) Blue Origin will broadcast a webcast.

Here is the New Shepard rocket which will launch into space this morning for an historic 11-minute flight.

The launch window opens at 8.30am local time (2:30pm UK time).

Stick with us for the latest updates on the NS-31 mission.

Lauren Sanchez has revealed how she helped design the blue-coloured spacesuits which will be worn during today's launch.

Speaking to The New York Times last week, Ms Sanchez said she approached Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, the co-founders of the brand Monse, five months ago.

Garcia and Kim are also creative directors of Oscar de la Renta and made her 2024 Met Gala outfit.

Sanchez said the initial conversations were around making the suits more female friendly to wear.

'Let's reimagine the flight suit. Usually, you know, these suits are made for a man. Then they get tailored to fit a woman.'

Mr Garcia told the newspaper:

Speaking of the end result, Ms Sanchez said: 'I think the suits are elegant but they also bring a little spice to space.'

Lauren Sanchez revealed why she is going into space two months before her splashy wedding in Italy with billionaire Jeff Bezos.

Earlier this month, the former TV star told ELLE magazine there is a code the couple live by.

'We have a saying in our house, "Life takes off on the other side of fear,"' Sanchez said of living with Amazon mogul Bezos.

Read the full story here:

One of the six women blasting off into space on board the Blue Origin rocket says she feels 'justice' will be served when she launches from Texas.

Amanda Nguyen, a civil rights activist who has helped draft landmark legislation for rape victims, said at the time Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969, bombs 'rained down' on her native Vietnam.

Asked for one word to explain how she felt before the historic mission, she replied , 'justice'.

Speaking to CBS just two hours before take off, Ms Nguyen said:

Her words prompted fellow NS-31 crew member Katy Perry to wipe away a tear.

Katy Perry may have declared the all-female Blue Origin crew will put the 'ass in astronaut' when they launch into space today - but will they actually become astronauts.

Traditionally, the definition of an astronaut is someone 'trained for travelling in space'.

But it is unlikely Perry et al will be considered astronauts by the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA or US military which have specified eligibility requirements for people to become commercial astronauts.

In 2021, amid the rise of space tourism, the FAA said any would be astronauts must be part of the flight crew and make contributions to space flight safety in a new tightened definition of the term.

The move was seen as a one that would dampen the dreams of billionaire space explorers like Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson who may not be seen as astronauts in the eyes of the US government.

Posing alongside Lauren Sanchez in her specially designed spacesuit, Katy Perry declared 'we're putting the 'ass' in astronaut!'

Knowing this flight will secure a place in history as the first all-female crew in space, the six women may also become the first to have their hair and makeup done for a mission.

Sanchez said: 'Who would not get glam before the flight,' before joking that fake eyelashes would be 'flying round the capsule'.

Aisha Bowe said she had already tested out the hairstyle she wants on launch day by skydiving in Dubai, while Amanda Nguyen said she would be wearing lipstick.

Ms Nguyen said:

Katy Perry has revealed how she is 'psychologically' preparing for her all-female Blue Origin space mission.

The 40-year-old hitmaker - who recently put on a futuristic display - has been motivating herself by telling herself that she will inspire others, reading the work of astrophysicists, and channeling her 'feminine divine' ahead of her space tourism stunt.

Perry spoke with the Associated Press at her Ontario, California rehearsal space on Wednesday, days before she was set to leave for training in Texas.

She said: 'I am talking to myself every day and going, "You’re brave, you’re bold, you are doing this for the next generation to inspire so many different people but especially young girls to go, 'I’ll go to space in the future.' No limitations."'

Read more here:

Perry recently told Elle magazine that she was taking part 'for my daughter Daisy,' whom she shares with actor Orlando Bloom, 'to inspire her to never have limits on her dreams.'

She said in a separate video posted to Instagram that she was shocked to discover during space training that the capsule she will travel in was named the 'Tortoise' and decorated with a "feather" design - the two nicknames her parents have for her.

Perry said in the video.

Katy Perry has given a behind-the-scenes look inside the capsule as she told how she had dreamed of going to space 'for 15 years' ahead of today's launch.

Dressed in her blue space suit she spoke to the camera and gave a tour of the 'capsule' where they have been doing their training.

Katy penned in the caption of her post: 'I've dreamt of going to space for 15 years and tomorrow that dream becomes a reality!

'The Taking Up Space Crew launches tomorrow morning at 7am CT and I am SO honored to be alongside 5 other incredible and inspiring women as we become the first ever all female flight space crew!'

See the footage below:

On Thursday, February 27, Jeff Bezos announced an all-female crew would helm the next flight into space of a Blue Origin rocket - the 11th crewed mission of its New Shepard capsule.

The Amazon founder said the mission would make history as the first time an all-female crew had gone to space and the first spaceflight without a man aboard since 1963 when Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova embarked on a solo mission.

The crew was picked by Lauren Sanchez, Bezos' fiancee.

Sanchez told Elle magazine she chose her fellow crew members because each had 'proven their ability to inspire others'.

She said all the women will be able to spread the word on what they felt like during the trip, and also expand on ideas of what the next generation of space explorers will look like.

It means after today, both Sanchez and Bezos will have flown aboard New Shepard. The Amazon founder and Washington Post owner took a seat on its first flight in July 2021, describing the experience as 'the best day ever'.

The 40-year-old singer is one of the world's best-selling artists with 70 million album sales. The Californian has twice been the highest paid musician, according to Forbes, and is known records 'Firework', 'Roar' and 'Teenage Dream'. Once married to Russell Brand, she is now engaged to British actor Orlando Bloom with whom she has a daughter.

Sanchez, 55, is a journalist and New York Times best-selling children's author who made her name on the Fox Sports Network where she worked as an anchor. She has appeared in films including We Bought a Zoo, White House Down and Ted 2 in which she plays a reporter. In 2018, it emerged she had an affair with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos with the couple becoming engaged in May 2023.

King , 70, is best known for being a co-host for CBS Mornings, a breakfast news television programme broadcast every day from 7am to 9am on CBS. A critic of Donald Trump, King remarked 'I do not see many people of color', at the presidential inauguration in January.She is also an editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine and was named one of Time magazine's '100 Most Influential People of 2019'.

Nguyen, 33, is a civil rights activist and social entrepreneur who founded Rise, a group aimed at protecting the civil rights of sexual assault and rape survivors. She helped draft the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act in 2016 which gave statutory rights to rape victims and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize three years later. Will become the first Vietnamese woman to go to space

Bowe, 38, is a former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and global STEM advocate. She studied for a degree in aerospace engineering following a lifelong interest in science fiction and pursued a career with NASA after being inspired by one of her graduate professors

Flynn, 57, is an American filmmaker known for her work on independent films. Notable projects she has contributed towards include The Automatic Hate (2015), This Changes Everything (2018), and Lilly (2024).

MailOnline's science reporter Wiliam Hunter has broken down how the 11-minute mission could work if all goes to plan on NS-31.

The mission is launched aboard a Blue Shepard rocket, reaching more than twice the speed of sound.

The booster section detaches and the capsule enters freefall. During this time the crew experienced weightlessness.

At an altitude of 62 miles (100km), the capsule passes the Karman Line and officially enters space.

The booster guides itself back to Earth and makes a soft touchdown.

The capsule deploys its parachutes and gently touches down.

Today, Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry and an all-female crew will soar into space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin spaceship.

During their 11-minute flight, the New Shepard capsule will reach an altitude of 62 miles (100km) and cross the Karman Line, often used as the boundary of space.

As the capsule enters freefall, the crew will be treated to three to four minutes of weightlessness as they leave their seats to take in the magnificent view.

However, they won't have long to enjoy it, as the capsule will start its return to Earth after just minutes in space before deploying its parachutes and landing safely.

Read the full story here including a step-by-step graphic of the mission:

Hello and welcome to MailOnline's live coverage of the historic moment the first all-female crew will blast off into space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket.

Lauren Sanchez, the fiancee of Mr Bezos, the Amazon founder and one of the world's richest people, will lead a six woman crew including singer Katy Perry, journalist and TV presenter Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.

It will be the latest flight of the New Shepard programme, named NS-31, and is aiming to 'create a lasting impact that will inspire generations'.

The women will take off from Earth inside a reusable self-driving rocket for an 11-minute journey which will see them briefly enter space before returning.

The launch is taking place in Texas at 8:30am local time (2:30pm UK time).

Stick with us for live coverage of the launch including the latest news and video from our science reporters at MailOnline in London and Dailymail.com in New York.