Gayle King is “winging it” as she gets set to travel to space. The upcoming journey marks a significant milestone as the first all-female crew for Blue Origin’s space tourism program.
The 70-year-old presenter will be a part of an all-female mission on the next launch of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket and confessed that she has no idea what to take into orbit. Blue Origin has completed several crewed flights since its first human mission in recent years.
“I’m winging it. I’m getting ready. I’m now putting my bag together. Like, what do you put in the bag to go to space, right?” King, who will be accompanied on the mission by pop star Katy Perry and Bezos’ fiancee Lauren Sanchez, told Us Weekly of her preparations. The Blue Origin spacecraft reaches beyond the internationally recognized boundary of space during these short journeys.
King revealed that she has asked her grandson Lucas if she could take one of his stuffed animals to keep her company on the rocket. This continues a tradition among astronauts who often bring small personal items on space missions.
“So I’m staying with my daughter. I just asked my favorite grandson, ‘Could you pick out your favorite animal, one of your favorite stuffed animals, that could go with me to space and keep ‘Gyla’ company? So he’s looking,” she explained. Astronauts are typically allowed to bring personal items on spaceflight missions.
King admits that her anxiety levels for the space trip are through the roof as the April 14 launch date draws ever closer. Pre-launch anxiety is common even among professional astronauts, with many reporting heightened stress levels before missions.
“On a scale of 1-10, it’s a 12,” she said. The Blue Origin New Shepard vehicle accelerates to more than three times the speed of sound during its journey.
King revealed how she was first approached about the mission last November and decided that it was time for a “new adventure” as she celebrated turning 70 the following month. King will be among the older participants in the commercial space tourism program.
“This was never my dream. And somebody said, ‘Maybe you need to have new dreams, Gayle.’ I had a big birthday, and I thought I wanted to open myself up to new adventures,” she said. Space tourism tickets on Blue Origin flights cost substantial amounts per person.
However, the 11-minute space trip has been blasted as “gluttonous” by actress Olivia Munn, who argues that it is a waste of money at a time of economic uncertainty and rising food prices. Environmental critics have also pointed out concerns about rocket launches.
“What are they doing?… 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. What are you guys gonna do up in space? What are you doing up there?” Munn, 44, said of the commercial mission during an appearance on “Today With Jenna and Friends.” Space tourism companies argue that their missions help advance space technology and inspire future generations.
The star added that she doesn’t understand why the mission needs to be so highly-publicized. Media coverage of private space tourism has increased substantially in recent years.
“If you wanna go to space, why do you need to tell us about it, you know? It’s just like, go up there, have a good time, come on down…” Munn said. Blue Origin‘s missions are broadcast live, continuing the tradition of public space launches.
“I know this is probably obnoxious, but like, it’s so much money to go to space, and there’s a lot of people who can’t even afford eggs,” she added. The contrast between space tourism expenditures and global poverty has been a recurring criticism in public discourse.
Despite the criticism, the upcoming mission represents a milestone for women in space exploration. While hundreds of people have traveled to space throughout history, only a small percentage have been women. This all-female crew, including King, Perry, and Sanchez, joins a growing number of civilians experiencing spaceflight through private companies, potentially inspiring a new generation of female space enthusiasts.
The mission has generated significant public interest due to its celebrity participants and the growing fascination with commercial space travel. As more private citizens venture beyond Earth’s atmosphere, debates about the value, ethics, and impact of space tourism will likely continue alongside the industry’s development.
