Pop star Katy Perry and journalist Gayle King have blasted off into space on a Blue Origin rocket, in the latest wave of space tourism for the rich and famous.
The trip organised by billionaire Jeff Bezos' fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, marks the first all-female flight crew in more than six decades.
The New Shepard rocket blasted off around 11.30 AEST from West Texas.
Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, invited the others along for the 10-minute, fully automated flight.
Also sharing the ride were film producer Kerianne Flynn; Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer who started her own companies to promote science education; and Amanda Nguyen, a scientist who now advocates for survivors of sexual violence.
Both Ms Perry and Ms King made dramatic shows of kissing the earth upon their return, while Ms Sanchez embraced Mr Bezos.
Ms Sanchez said the short trip had changed her.
"It was a feeling of joy and camaraderie," she said.
"All I could think about was we're all connected, more connected than you realise."
Ms King said the women had created a "sisterhood" during training and the flight.
Meanwhile, Perry said she had sung What A Wonderful World while in outer space.
"I think that it's not about me, it's not about singing my songs, it's about a collective energy in there," she said.
"It's about us, it's about making space for future women."
Blue Origin declined to say how much the flight cost or who paid what.
Among celebrities attendees watching the lift-off was Ms King's best friend Oprah Winfrey and Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian.
It was the 11th human spaceflight for the Washington state-based company, founded by Bezos in 2000 after making a fortune with Amazon.
Mr Bezos strapped in for Blue Origin's first space tourist flight in 2021 and accompanied the latest crew to the pad.
The celebrity launch was the nation's first spaceflight where women filled each seat.
The only other all-female crew in 64 years of human spaceflight was back in 1963.
That was when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched by herself, becoming the first woman in space.
Ms Tereshkova spent three days off the planet.
Even after the latest launch, women represent barely 15 per cent of the more than 700 people who have travelled into space.
Ms Sanchez said she deliberately chose women to launch with her, each of them eager to inspire both the young and old to dream big, and even commissioned special flight suits.
But it is not the first Blue Origin launch with marquee names.
Star Trek actor William Shatner caught a lift to space with Blue Origin in 2021 at age 90.
He was followed by former New York Giants defensive end and TV host Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, for whom the rocket is named.
Two aviation pioneers who missed out on space when they were younger — Wally Funk and Ed Dwight — also rocketed away at ages 82 and 90, respectively.
A new realm of tourism for the rich
Most of Blue Origin's passengers — 58 counting the latest launch — have been business or science types, TV hosts or YouTubers.
Ticket prices are not disclosed.
The Russian Space Agency also has launched its share of space tourists, beginning with a Californian financier in 2001.
Two decades later, a Russian actress filmed aboard the International Space Station.
Elon Musk's SpaceX also sells multi-day trips to private customers.
SpaceX's first client to fly, billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman already has launched twice and performed the first private spacewalk.
He is now set to become NASA's next administrator if confirmed by the Senate.
Chinese-born bitcoin investor Chun Wang just returned from the first spaceflight to carry people over the north and south poles.
Mr Wang picked up the whole SpaceX tab for himself and three polar explorers for an undisclosed sum.
Story By: AP/ABC
Original Story link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-15/katy-perry-gayle-king-blue-origin-rocket-flight/105176388
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