Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez to lead Blue Origin all-women crewed mission
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Gayle King announcing her mission with Blue Origin, Feb. 27. Photo: CBS Mornings
CBS anchor Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez, fiancé of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, are heading to space on a Blue Origin flight this spring with four other women, King announced Thursday.
Why it matters: The all-women crew will be the highest-profile mission yet for Blue Origin, which has become one of the foremost players in the commercial space industry.
Driving the news: A video announcement narrated by King on Thursday's "CBS Mornings" show revealed that the mission will take place sometime this spring.
- The other women joining the mission are pop star Katy Perry, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
- A launch date was not announced.
What they're saying: "I'm so afraid, but I'm also so excited about it," King said Thursday of the upcoming mission.
- Although she initially rebuffed the offer to go to space, King said she came around to the idea after considering "what a unique opportunity" it would be.
- King interviewed Bezos in 2021 after he returned from Blue Origin's first crewed mission.
State of play: Sánchez's sojourn to space has been long-anticipated. The vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, Sánchez has for years spoken about her plan to helm an all-women Blue Origin mission.
The big picture: Earlier this week, the company announced that it had successfully completed its 10th crewed mission, as well as its 30th flight for its New Shepard program.
- The company hit another milestone last month when it launched its New Glenn rocket, marking its first orbital flight.
Go deeper: Bezos vs. Musk: Space tycoons with dueling visions for humanity's survival
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional quotes from King.
