Blue Origin Flight: Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez Clap Back at Criticism of Their Trip to Space
After their return from Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission to space, Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez reacted to criticism of their all-female crew’s 11-minute trip to the edge of the cosmos.
Watch : Oprah Winfrey Has Emotional Reaction to Gayle King's Blue Origin Spaceflight
Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez want others to know that their trip to space was out of this world.
After the CBS This Morning host and fiancée to Jeff Bezos returned to Earth following their 11-minute round trip flight on Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission to the edge of space on April 14, the pair responded to the backlash they’ve received over their venture.
“Anybody that’s criticizing it doesn’t really understand what is happening here,” King told People following her return. “We can all speak to the response we're getting from young women from young girls about what this represents.”
For her part, Sánchez—who was joined on the all-female mission by King, singer Katy Perry, rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn—noted that the critics got her “really fired up.”
“I would love to have them 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 told People. “They love their work and they love the mission and it's a big deal for them.”
read
Olivia Wilde, Amy Schumer Troll Blue Origin Launch After Olivia Munn Criticism
Sánchez continued, “So when we hear comments like that, I just say, ‘Trust me. Come with me. I'll show you what this is about.’ And it's, it's really eye opening.”
Ahead of the Blue Origin Space trip, King, Sánchez and their co-passengers faced scrutiny for their decision to board the spaceflight. For one, comedian Amy Schumer playfully mocked the mission on Instagram, posting a video detailing that she was a last-minute addition to the adventure.
Blue Origin
"Guys, last second they added me to space and I'm going to space," she joked in the April 14 clip while holding a Black Panther toy. "I'm bringing this thing. It has no meaning to me, but it was in my bag and I was on the Subway, and I got the text and they were like, 'Do you want to go to space?' so I'm going to space."
And earlier in the month, Olivia Munn spouted her frustration with the group’s “ride” to space, calling it a “gluttonous” trip.
“I know this probably isn’t the cool thing to say, but there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now,” she said on the April 3 episode of Today With Jenna & Friends. “Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?”
For more on the all-female crew’s trip to space, keep reading…
Jaque Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images
What Is Blue Origin?
Founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos in 2000, Blue Origin is a private space company headquartered in Kent, Washington.
According to its website, the organization aims to leverage space's resources to benefit Earth as well as expand humanity's presence in space through increased transportation and the creation of living and working destinations in the low Earth orbit.
Blue Origin says it's working to achieve these goals by building reusable rockets and engines to reduce the cost of space travel, make space travel more accessible to civilians and drive sustainability.
"Our vision is millions of people living and working in space," Bezos said during a talk at the 2016 Pathfinder Awards. "We want to reduce the cost of getting into space dramatically by focusing on reusability."
So how much does it cost to book a seat on a Blue Origin flight? While the company doesn't list its prices on its website, it does note a $150,000 deposit is required.
Blue Origin
What Is New Shepard?
Named after astronaut Alan Shepard—who made history when he became the first American to travel to space in 1961—New Shepard is what Blue Origin describes as a "fully reusable, suborbital rocket system built for human flight."
Six people can sit in New Shepard's pressurized crew capsule. But don't look for a pilot seat. Because as Blue Origin's website notes, "The vehicle is fully autonomous—there are no pilots."
New Shepard first launched in 2015 as part of a flight test program that consisted of 16 successful tests, which were completed in 2021.
In July of that year, Bezos and his brother Mark took part in New Shepard's first human flight along with an auction winner that secured a seat for a whopping $28 million. William Shatner and Michael Strahan were also among the travelers to board the vehicle later that year (though they were on separate missions).
The upcoming voyage will mark New Shepard's 31st mission (hence the name NS-31) and its 11th human flight.
Blue Origin
When and Where Is the Launch for New Shepard's NS-31 Mission?
New Shepard's NS-31 mission is aiming for liftoff from Blue Origin's Launch Site One—located among the Guadalupe Mountain range in the West Texas desert—April 14, with the company's website noting the launch window opens at 8:30 a.m. CDT.
Blue Origin
What Will New Shepard's Journey for the NS-31 Mission Look Like and How Long Will it Take?
"New Shepard astronauts ascend toward space at more than three times the speed of sound," Blue Origin's website states. "They pass the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space 62 miles (100 km) above Earth, before unbuckling to float weightless and gaze at our planet. The crew returns gently under parachutes."
In terms of timing, the company notes the entire trip should take about 11 minutes.
Gayle King/Instagram
Who Is Part of the Crew for Blue Origin's NS-31 Mission?
The crew for mission NS-31 consists of singer Katy Perry, CBS Mornings host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, STEMBoard founder and former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and activist Amanda Nguyen, and former TV anchor Lauren Sánchez (who is engaged to Bezos). In fact, this is the first all-female spaceflight crew since 1963, when the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova went on a solo mission and became the first woman to travel to space.
Nguyen is making history as the first Vietnamese woman to travel to space, and Bowe is entering the history books as the first person of Bahamian heritage to go where few have gone before.
Lauren Sanchez/Instagram
What Are Some of the NS-31 Crew’s Reasons for Going to Space?
Each member of the crew has her own reasons for being part of this mission.
In a recent cover story for ELLE, many of the women expressed their desire to inspire future generations. For Perry, this includes reminding Daisy, the daughter she shares with fiancé Orlando Bloom, to "never have limits on her dreams and show her that any type of person can reach their dreams—no matter your background, your ethnicity, your economic situation, or your education level."
As for King, who has been honest about her nerves, she told the magazine she hopes to encourage people to step outside their comfort zones.
"Once I do it," she added, "then the doors will open for so many other people who thought, 'Okay, I was one of those reluctant people, but now I’m here and I am really, really excited to go.'"
And Nguyen noted that, for her, it's getting the chance to fulfill a "dream deferred."
"I worked at NASA, I studied the stars—astrophysics at Harvard and MIT—but life got in the way," she told the publication. "Gender-based violence is a big reason why so many women in STEM don’t continue on with their training, and I was one of those women. After I was sexually assaulted, I traded my telescope to fight for my rights as a sexual assault survivor. I drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, passed it in Congress and at the United Nations. And then, after 10 years, I was like, 'I want to honor the person that I was before I was hurt.'"
Blue Origin
Does the Crew for the NS-31 Mission Go Through Any Training?
According to Good Morning America, all crew members will also head to the launch site days before the mission for training sessions, which will include getting fitted in their flight suits, becoming familiar with the capsule, learning how to communicate with ground control and going over safety protocols.
However, some members of the crew did their own preparations ahead of the mission.
"I’ve been training for this in some way or another for the last year, but recently I turned up the intensity," Bowe told ELLE weeks before the launch. "I just completed a NASTAR simulation, where I had the opportunity to actually experience what I can expect to encounter on the flight. For me, the physical preparation is really important. I want to have my body know what it feels like to go up. We’ve got a fighter jet flight booked, and I’m really excited about that."
Flynn also said she did "several zero-gravity simulation flights."
"They carve out a Boeing 747 and fly the plane in a parabolic pattern, so when the plane descends, everyone floats up," she added. "That was to get used to the feeling of weightlessness. So I think I’m going to have some fun with that when we’re up. I also did the NASTAR training in Philadelphia and experienced up to five Gs of pressure."
Kerianne Flynn/Instagram
Does the Crew Get to Bring Any Personal Belongings to Space?
Just a few things.
King told ELLE she's bringing some photos while Sánchez shared she's carrying a stuffed animal of the character Flynn from her children's book The Fly Who Flew to Space.
As for Bowe, she's packing a historic object.
"Nancy Conrad, who is the wife of Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the moon, is a mentor and inspiration to me," she noted to the magazine. "She said, 'Your journey parallels Pete's in so many ways, and so I want you to carry this flag.' And thanks to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, I actually have the Apollo 12 flag, and that’s going to fly with me."
Bowe added she's also bringing plant samples from Winston-Salem State University's Astrobotany Lab as well as conch chowder that's been dehydrated for the mission as a nod to The Bahamas.
Nguyen is packing personal items as well.
"My mother’s shells from the island she’s a refugee from," she told ELLE, "and then the other thing is a promise that I made to myself [after my assault]. After I left the hospital, I wrote down, 'Never ever give up,' and I taped it to my laptop. I looked at it every day when I was graduating and when I was fighting for my rights—and I will be looking at it for the flight."
According to her Instagram, Nguyen is also bringing the pen former president Barack Obama used to sign the Sexual Assault Survivors' Act, the Nguyen dynasty coin and Freetown cotton tree seeds.
JC Olivera/Getty Images
What Have Other Stars Said About Blue Origin's NS-31 Mission?
Some stars have sent uplifting words to the crew—with King getting a send-off video from CBS Mornings featuring Tom Hanks, Megan Rapinoe, Bill Nye, Drew Barrymore and more.
"Best of luck," the Charlie's Angels actress said, "and I can't wait to pick your brain as soon as you get home."
Others, like Olivia Munn, have expressed criticism.
"What are they doing? Like why?" she said on Today with Jenna & Friends April 3. "I know 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."
The X-Men: Apocalypse actress then brought up the topic of cost.
"I know this is probably obnoxious," she continued, "but like it’s so much money to go to space, and there’s a lot of people who can’t even afford eggs."
And Olivia questioned what the mission was achieving.
"What’s the point?" she added. "Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous."
King also understands the criticism surrounding billionaire Bezos and the stance some have that this mission is just an ad for him and Blue Origin.
"Listen, it is troubling to me, too," she told CBS Mornings April 11. "There have been some questions and decisions that he’s made that I’ve actually gone, ‘Huh?’ But I think in this particular case, this is so much bigger than one man and one company. I’ve chosen to separate the two. It’s not a zero-sum game. You can do this on one hand and this on the other hand, and both things can be true."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
EXCLUSIVE: The Government has suffered a humiliating defeat against veterans from the greatest generation after promising - then denying - funding for their travel and accommodation to commemorative services in Europe this summer.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Amanda Bynes has embarked on her latest venture and revealed that she joined OnlyFans, but clarified it was only to ‘chat with fans’ and no ‘sleazy content.’
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The former One Direction star and ex-Love Island contestant have reportedly enjoyed a ‘string of dates’. But who else has Tomlinson dated?
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Spotify appeared to be experiencing widespread technical issues Wednesday morning — with tens of thousands of users reporting problems with the popular music and audio streamer. As of around 10:20 a.m. ET, Downdetector showed more than 34,000 outage reports for Spotify worldwide, down from a peak of over 48,000 earlier. Many […]
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 — Spotify appeared to be experiencing widespread technical issues Wednesday morning — with tens of thousands of users reporting problems with the popular music and audio streamer. As of around 10:20 a.m. ET, Downdetector showed more than 34,000 outage reports for Spotify worldwide, down from a peak of over 48,000 earlier. Many […] %23spotifydown) |
|
|
Neil Young is one of modern music’s most storied figures, a songwriter who has inspired entire library shelves worth of criticism. Numerous
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Sian Power’s star gave fans a first glimpse of the newborn and revealed their sweet name
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Spotify appeared to be experiencing a widespread technical issues.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Spotify appeared to be experiencing a widespread technical issues Wednesday morning.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Spotify appeared to be experiencing a widespread technical issues Wednesday morning — with tens of thousands of users reporting problems with the popular music and audio streamer.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The music streamer says it's looking into the issue.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Spotify appeared to be experiencing a widespread technical issues.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Muhammad Ali, who was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, is considered one of the greatest athletes in history. His boxing success, along
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The late ‘Tic Tac Dough’ and ‘Gambit’ game show host is survived by his kids. Learn about the 91-year-old’s family here.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Spotify was experiencing massive technical issues Wednesday, as thousands of users reported problems accessing the streaming service.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.